


Demon Tempations

by ChubbinLovin



Category: Ao no Exorcist | Blue Exorcist
Genre: AU where everything is fine, Aged-Up Character(s), Belly Kink, Belly Rubs, Consensual Kink, Eventual Kink, Eventual Romance, Eventual Smut, F/M, Feeding, Feeding Kink, Fluff and Angst, Fluff and Smut, Food Kink, Mostly Fluff, Mutual Pining, Pampering, Sexual Tension, Slow Burn, Weight Gain, Weight Issues, fat kink, spoiling
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-06-04
Updated: 2020-04-08
Packaged: 2020-04-10 19:22:02
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 18
Words: 63,823
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19096288
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ChubbinLovin/pseuds/ChubbinLovin
Summary: After unwittingly befriending an odd demon girl lost in True Cross Town, Rin can't help but give into her prerogative to spoil and care for him. The closer he becomes with his new houseguest, the more things begin to change. Especially around his waistline.((WG and Fat Appreciation Fic. Don't like don't read.))





	1. Chance Encounter

**Author's Note:**

> I really have no excuse. This is just self-indulgent nonsense, like all my other fics. A few quick points before we begin though!  
> -I'm only as far as the Kyoto Saga, so keep that in mind. (No spoilers!)  
> -In my last kink fic I got a lot of comments that the Reader Insert should be a fleshed out character, so I'm running with that.  
> -The kink will be very gradual, so please be patient. Romance tropes and fluff abound.
> 
> Alright, that should do it. Enjoy!

How annoying. True Cross Town was bustling as always, and Rin wasn’t in the mood to deal with the crowds. Training and classes had been hard that day and he was ready for a well-deserved rest back at the dorm. He still had to pick up food for dinner though. He huffed under his breath as he looked over the list Yukio had written out for him, like sending a damn toddler off to run errands. With a dull growl under his breath, he crumpled the list and stuffed it back in his pocket. He was eighteen years old, damn it, but Four-Eyes still treated him like a kid.

Just as he was turning the street corner towards the grocery store he stopped in his tracks, his brow piquing in interest. His eyes widened a bit when he saw her and fully processed who, or rather what, she was. She had a petite, human shape and wore plain clothes, but as a half-demon himself he knew the truth. Anyone with a temptaint would’ve too. Sharp, curving horns extended from the soft crown of peach-pink hair, pointed ears peaked out from behind her fringe, and a long, spade-tipped tail was wrapped securely around her leg.

_ A demon? _ he thought in disbelief, blinking widely as he forgot his mission entirely.  _ Before nightfall? And in the middle of town, too. _ It was strange to say the least. He’d never seen such a thing anyway, if he didn’t take into account those like Amaimon and Astaroth. Surely she wasn’t like them? With her small stature and admittedly pretty face she certainly didn’t  _ look _ dangerous… but he knew better than anyone not to judge a book by its cover, demon or otherwise.

Gritting his teeth, he felt he had no choice but to follow her, crossing the street to trail behind at a safe distance. She didn’t seem to have noticed him… good. He couldn’t risk causing a scene with all these people around. Maybe that was her plan: hiding in plain sight. Either way, he didn’t want to let her get away. He kept a cautious hand in his pocket, touching his phone and ready to call for backup just in case.

Occasionally she would stop to look in shop windows or gaze curiously at a human or two, her hands twitching and fidgeting at her sides, but for the most part she kept walking. Her pace was casually quick, as if she had somewhere to be, yet her path was wandering and inconsistent; it was like she didn’t know  _ where _ it was she needed to go, but knew she had to get there quick. He froze up when she did a one-eighty all of a sudden, hiding in an alley and peeking carefully around the corner.  _ Crap, _ he thought with a grind of his teeth,  _ did she catch on? _

However, her gaze wasn’t on him. Not even close. Rather, her eyes were trained on a small child looking longingly at a nearby sweets stand. Rin’s brows screwed together skeptically as he saw her smile, holding his phone with a tighter, more anxious grip. What she did next baffled him: she turned to the man running the stand, pulled a bit of money from her pocket, and bought a single watame before crouching to hand it to the child. Then she got back up, spun around and left, hardly even giving the child a chance to thank her.

Rin’s eyes bugged, his jaw going a little slack. That wasn’t normal. Was it? Demons giving candy to kids? She’d even paid for it! His jaw clenched as he detached himself from his hiding place and kept on following her. Soon he realized she was walking faster, and she looked tense all of a sudden. Looking around, it wasn’t hard to spot why: a small group of Exorcists, three of them, had caught onto her as well.

Within moments she was running, and they followed suit. Damn it. Without thinking he took off sprinting, instinct fueling his legs as he kept up with the demon and her new pursuers. She must not have known the city well, because the next turn she took lead right to a dead-end alley and into an ambush. Just before turning the corner he heard a shout of pain and a loud splash of what could only be holy water, followed by the familiar sound of an Aria chanting.

There were five Exorcists now, all standing around her. One was a tamer, his Dekalp familiar trapping her in its thorny vines as holy water dripped down her pale face and soaked into her clothes. Her body was shaking, her expression twisted in pain as thorns poked and stabbed into her tender skin. A furious blue flame flickered in Rin’s eyes, and he couldn’t help but bare his fangs. This wasn't right.

“Hey,” he began, barely drawing their attention. The girl’s chin lifted just slightly, and he was taken back by the sight of her icy, mint-green eyes and pinprick pupils meeting his. Her jaw dropped weakly, and she looked speechless as her eyes dilated slightly upon meeting his. “Hey!” he repeated more loudly as a new vine coiled around her throat, pricking dangerously at the skin there. “Knock it off! She hasn’t done anything.”

“She’s a demon,” the Exorcist grunted back with a disinterested glance over his shoulder. “Who cares if she’s ‘ _ done’ _ anything?” The man paused and did a double-take with a sudden glare. “Rin Okumura… Son of Satan. Don’t tell me your starting to sympathize with your kind now, are you?”

Rin didn’t dignify that with a response. “Exorcists are supposed to get rid of demons who hurt humans,” he started sternly, his fists balling at his sides. “And she didn’t hurt anyone! If you were following her as long as I was you’d know that.”

“You were following her? And you didn’t think to report it to anyone?” The Exorcist frowned harshly. “A demon sighting in the city is very serious, you know.”

Rin’s face went blank for a moment, and he blinked like a deer in headlights. “Uhhh… I was going to! Once I figured out if she was a threat... which she’s not,” he covered quickly, stumbling over his words as he rubbed the back of his neck. The Exorcist’s eyes narrowed suspiciously, but his beat of expectant silence gave Rin an ounce of courage to continue. “I wonder what Mephisto would have to say about it. Maybe I should call him-”

“Forget it,” the Exorcist spat, waving his hand at his subordinates. The Tamer withdrew his familiar, and the demon girl crumpled to the ground with a soft, pained grunt. “We have more important things to worry about than arguing ethics with Satan’s brat.” With a simple order, the group of Exorcists followed behind the man as he shoved Rin hard with his shoulder, but the halfling didn’t react.

Instead he walked carefully over to the girl and crouched beside her. “Hey,” he began as she started to sit up on her knees, her wounds already closing and the holy water evaporating off her body. She was definitely stronger than the average ghoul or hobgoblin if she was recovering that quickly; it made him a bit wary. “You gonna be okay?”

Once again he was shocked by her pale eyes as she looked up at him. She’d looked so weak just a few seconds before, but color was already beginning to return to her face, lighting up the soft constellations of freckles that dusted her cheeks and the bridge of her nose. “... Young Prince?”

His eyes narrowed as he scoffed.  _ Not this shit again. _ “Don’t call me that,” he spat dismally, scratching the back of his head as he averted his gaze and rose to his feet. “I’m nobody’s prince.” As she began to stand, if a bit unsteadily, he was satisfied that she’d be alright, for the time being anyway. “You seem fine now. If I were you I’d hurry up and get outta here, before any other Exorcists spot you.”

Before she could reply, he turned on his heel and began walking, remembering his abandoned errand. Damn, how much time had he wasted on that? He checked the clock on his phone, exasperated to see that nearly an hour had passed since he’d first seen her. Yukio was going to shit bricks. He kept a quick pace as he hurried back to the store, but every now and again a fluffy pink bob and a pair of slightly curved horns would catch his eye.

He ignored it at first, going in through the automatic doors and grabbing a basket. It was like he could feel her presence, but every time he looked around he’d catch barely a glimpse of her before she disappeared into another aisle or behind a small crowd of people.  _ Now she’s following me? _ he thought with a note of irritation, huffing out a low breath.  _ Serves me right I guess. She’ll get bored soon. _

But she didn’t. On his whole trip back home, through the store, down the streets and out to the derelict dormitory he could feel her presence, see brief glimpses of her pale skin, dark horns or pink hair. Finally, just outside the dorm building he stopped, barking out to the seemingly empty landscape. “I know you’re there,” he called, slinging his grocery bags over one shoulder, the other hand on his hip. “Either come out or get lost.”

Her head poked around from behind a thick tree trunk, her brows pinched nervously. He gave a jerk of his head, signaling her to come closer, and she did so hesitantly. As she approached him, he took her in fully; she was small, at least a head or so shorter than him, and with slender, enticing curves. The second he’d realized he’d been staring he averted his eyes with a little shake of his head. Jeez, this was no time to be girl-crazy! Not when dealing with demons.

“Why’re you following me around?” he tried to ask sternly, but his voice wavered. She was standing really close, barely inches from him. Did demons just not get the concept of personal space?

She paused, a hand curling into her hair nervously. “I… I didn’t mean to.” He gave her a dull, disbelieving look, prompting her to sigh. “I guess I wanted to thank you for helping me. But I have to know… why did you stop them? Aren’t you on their side?”

Rin’s brow pinched dubiously, frowning down at her. “I’m not on anyone’s side until I know them,” he answered bluntly, crossing his arms over his chest. “Besides, it’s like I said: you didn’t do anything bad, s’far as I could see. It would’ve been pretty shitty of me to just let them off you like that.” She smiled softly, but before she could find her words he continued. “What were  _ you _ doing in a town basically run by Exorcists? It’s not safe for demons ‘round here… pretty dumb, actually.”

At that her smile turned a bit sheepish, a deep blush tinting her cheeks as she looked away. “Right… yeah, I guess it was pretty stupid. I just-” She cleared her throat uncertainly, twiddling her fingers. “You might say I got a bit lost. I’m drawn to people, so I just sort of wound up there, like being pulled on a string.”

“Drawn to people?” Rin’s eyebrow raised dubiously. “Seems pretty weird to me.”

“Well... drawn to desire,” she corrected with a moment’s hesitation, her hands clasping in front of her. “Temptations, I guess you’d say.”

A temptress? Rin’s face flushed subtly at the notion, but he managed to redirect his train of thought. “Like that kid who wanted the candy,” he guessed after clearing his throat, starting to put two and two together. And Yukio said he was a moron!

“Hm? Kid?” she asked, tilting her head a bit. “Oh! I forgot about-... you saw that?” She hugged herself lightly, her smile nervous. “Y-yeah, like that. I sense wants and emotions, and if they’re strong enough it’s pretty hard for me to ignore… like an itch. Half the time I don't even realize I'm reacting to them. Maybe that’s why I followed you.”

“Huh?” he asked dully, visibly confused. “I don’t want anything.”

“Well, maybe not on the surface. But anyway, that’s not what I mean. Since you’re… well, whether you recognize it or not, you’re kin of Satan. I probably felt drawn to you because of that, like a link between demons.” If she was honest, she couldn’t help but feel as if  _ he _ was what had guided her to that city in the first place: the son of her King. Probably best not to tell him that though. “Being an empath just made your presence harder to ignore, I guess… I’m sorry. I know you don’t affiliate with  _ our kind, _ ” she added bitterly, parroting the older Exorcist’s spiteful words. “I’ll just… leave you be, then. Thank you for helping me.”

“Hey, hold up,” he cut in quickly, reaching out to grasp her wrist as she was turning away from him. “It’s not like that. I don’t hate you or anything.” He paused, heaving out a gruff sigh. “I mean. Whether I like it or not we’re kinda the same, like you said. I’m no fan of Satan’s, but just because I’m not on his team doesn’t mean I think all demons are garbage. And… you seem alright, I guess.”

She blinked widely up at him, then down at his hand gently cupping her wrist. His touch felt oddly… electric. The air around them seemed to hum and vibrate with their shared auras, though she doubted he could sense it like she could. He withdrew his hand quickly, a nervous flush hitting his face square on. “... Thank you, I think,” she said with an uncertain laugh. “You’re more compassionate than I would’ve imagined.”

At first he didn’t know how to take that, but he settled on accepting it as a compliment. He offered a broad smile that showed off his fangs, and in turn she smiled back. She had sharp, pearly canines, just like his. “Yup, that’s me. I'm a pretty cool guy.” His smile turned a bit smug, at which the girl giggled quietly, her fingers covering her mouth. “Hey, don’t laugh! You just said I was!”

“I’m not laughing at you,” she assured him earnestly. “You’re just cute, is all.”

He flushed hotly. _Cute_...? “Yeah, well… whatever. If that’s all you want, then-”

“Wait,” she cut in, extending a courteous hand. “I’m Meron. Nice to meet you.”

“Right. I, uhh… I’m Rin.” He took her hand and gave it a shake, his palm tingling with nerves where it met her bare, soft skin. Meron, huh…? What a weird name. “Like I said, I wouldn’t hang around True Cross if I were you. It’s dangerous. Don’t you have somewhere else to go?”

“Uhh…” She paused, retracting her hand with a little pout as she shook her head. “Not exactly? Like I said, I was just kind of...  _ wandering _ . To be honest, I don’t know where I  _ should _ go. I’m sure I’d be in danger of Exorcism no matter what.”

That made Rin frown thoughtfully. “They’ll seriously attack you for no good reason? Can’t you do anything to defend yourself?”

She smiled somberly. “You’re really encouraging a demon to fight back against Exorcists?”

Shit. He supposed that was probably bad. “Well-...! I didn’t mean hurt them. Just do enough to get away.”

She shrugged, shaking her head a bit. “I can barely take a human host, and that’s really just so I can have an appealing form. It saps a lot of my power, so… no. All I’m really capable of is parlor tricks and illusions. Things that any Exorcist worth their salt could easily combat. I can’t do much to fight back, and running away just means going straight back to Gehenna. Between you and me, I like it here a lot more.”

Rin thought on that for a moment, stuffing one hand in his pocket while the other held his bag of groceries limply at his side. He tossed an unsure glance back at the dorm building, knowing full well Yukio would be inside waiting for him, and just how pissed he'd be if he knew what he was planning.

“... I’ll be right back. Wait here. Well, not  _ here exactly _ , but someplace out of sight!” He ducked into the building with a quick wave over his shoulder. Meron was stone still for a moment, frozen in surprise as she watched him go. How odd.


	2. An Odd Houseguest

More than twenty minutes passed before Rin was able to finish putting the groceries away, periodically interrupted by Yukio’s lectures about responsibility or whatever. The second he'd walked in he was set upon by his strict younger twin and his nagging. “Rin,” he began stiffly, already waiting in the dorm’s dining and kitchen area. “Where have you been?”

Rin held up the grocery bags with a dull grunt. “The store, Four-Eyes. Where else?”

“You were gone for a long time. Why didn't you tell me you'd be running late?”

With a scoff Rin shrugged, starting to empty out the bags on the counter. “I got held up, okay? I didn't realize how late it got. Besides, you're not my mom! I don't have to tell you every little thing I do.”

“Actually, you do. I'm supposed to keep an eye on you, remember?” Rin stuck his tongue out at him bitterly; he thought the days of being babysat were behind him. At least they didn't have to share a room anymore, but he was still a total pain. After a long sigh, Yukio’s tense shoulders sagged a bit. “... I heard there was a demon sighting in town, and that it got away. I was just worried you might’ve gotten into trouble.”

Rin was tense for a moment. He knew exactly what -no,  _ who- _ Yukio was talking about. It was hard not to correct him and give it away as he chewed the inside of his cheek. Meron wasn't an  _ it _ . Taking a breath and rolling his shoulders, he managed to relax a bit. “I get it,” he huffed tiredly, rubbing the back of his neck. “Sorry for snapping, I guess. I'm gonna go out and get some air, then I'll start dinner, okay?”

Yukio sighed, offering a meek smile. “Okay. I'll be in my room if you need me. I've got a bit of work I need to catch up on.” He rested a familiar hand on Rin’s shoulder before turning and leaving the dining area.

By the time Rin had finished damage control duty with Yukio he was afraid Meron might've already left. He peeked outside the dorm, but she was nowhere in sight. To his surprise the idea that she might’ve run off worried him. “Meron?” he hissed quietly, picking his way across the path. “Meron, you still out there?”

“Up here.”

His gaze was drawn to the treetops, and sure enough there she was, perched on a high-up branch like it was nothing. He all but choked in surprise, watching her swing her legs idly like a kid on a jungle gym. “What the-! Hey, what the hell are you doin’ up there?”

“You said to wait out of sight,” she called back with a sheepish shrug before slipping off the branch. As high up as she was, Rin had half a mind to try and catch her, but she descended as if in slow motion. She landed firmly and gracefully, like she'd just hopped down a couple of stairs. “It worked, at least. You couldn't find me.”

He opened his mouth to protest, but snapped it shut quickly. She had a point, he thought with a numb flush of his cheeks. “Fine. Just follow me, and keep quiet. You can hang here as long as you promise not to cause trouble. And, for the love of god, don't let anyone see you. Especially not my brother.”

Meron perked with curiosity, raising a brow at him. “Your brother? Why not?”

“Because he'll turn you in,” Rin grated out before mumbling in addition, “or worse, just exorcise you himself…”

“So you didn't tell him”

“I will!” Rin blurted out defensively. “... Y’know,  _ eventually _ . I just have to think of how to do it without him freaking out.”

“I take it he's not as open minded as you,” she mused plainly as she trudged behind him, following his stealthy lead back into the dormitory. She kept her ears perked and her senses sharp for any sign of the other twin, but he stayed fixed in his room while Rin lead her up a flight of stairs and down a few hallways.

“This room’s pretty far from mine and Yukio’s,” Rin explained as he swung open the door and gestured her to step inside. “If you stay in this wing you shouldn't run into him, but lay low for now anyway… okay?”

Meron looked around the room thoughtfully. It was small and barren, a little worse for wear like most of the building. Still, it wasn't the worst place she'd been forced to dwell. “So I'm a stowaway,” she said with a glum droop of her shoulders. Her tail unravelled from its safe coil around her leg to brush lazily over the floor. “It's like solitary confinement.”

“Just for now,” Rin assured her quickly, scratching the back of his head. It did kind of feel like keeping a prisoner, even if it was to make sure she stayed safe. “At least until I figure something out.”

“That sounds like it could take a while.”

“Don't make fun of me when I'm doin’ you a solid,” he barked back hotly, crossing his arms over his chest as his cheeks flushed. “I'll think of somethin’.”

Meron looked at him doubtfully, to which he just growled under his breath before turning to take his leave. “Rin,” she piped up suddenly, and he gave a dull look over his shoulder. “You're right: I should be more grateful. I'm sorry.” She paused, twisting a bit of hair around her fingers. “You’re working really hard to become an Exorcist, aren't you? But you're still sticking your neck out for me… even though it might get you into trouble.”

“Don't make a big deal out of it,” he coughed nervously, stuffing his hands in his pockets. His tail gave a little twitch behind him, almost cat-like. “I'm just giving you a place to crash, right? It's nothing.”

Meron seemed unconvinced, but kept quiet on the matter. Rin took this as his chance to leave and get dinner started before Yukio could wonder where he'd gone off to again. He was uncharacteristically quiet throughout their meal, and even as he laid down to sleep he found it hard to get his mind off the demon girl. What had he gotten himself into?

* * *

It was Saturday. So why the hell was Yukio shoving him awake? He groaned as he rolled onto his back with a wide, toothy yawn. “Whaaaaat?” he whined, barely opening his eyes as sunlight seared through the windows.

“I'm heading out,” Yukio informed him with a patient smile. “I just came to let you know. Don't forget about your homework, okay? Oh...” He paused in the doorway, his brows raised a bit. “I almost forgot: thanks for starting the laundry. If that's your way of formally apologizing for your behavior last night, then I forgive you.”

With a wave and one last familial smile he left, leaving Rin to stew over the day ahead and over his parting words. What was that? Something about laundry? He sat up with a numb sigh and rubbed both hands over his eyes, his brain just starting to fizzle back to life. Laundry… he hadn’t…?

He shot out of bed, barreling down the hall in his pajamas towards Meron’s room. He gave a few sharp bangs on the door with his fist, but opened it himself when no answer came. She was nowhere to be seen, and he grit his teeth in irritation. Hadn't he told her to stay put? Where would she have gone? As if on cue, he felt Kuro rub against his leg, the Cat Sidhe’s tinny voice ringing in his head.

_ Rin _ , he said mentally, though all that came out of his mouth was a curious mewl.  _ Are you looking for that demon girl? She gave me some really nice tuna! _

Tuna? Where on earth had she gotten that? Rin shook his head to refocus himself. “Yeah, Kuro. Where is she?”

_ On the roof. It looked like she was doing chores. _

With a rough sigh, Rin took off at a jog to meet her on the roof. Sure enough, there she was: taking down shirts and pants from the line and folding them up in baskets. One was for his clothes and another for Yukio’s. “Hey,” he shouted, drawing her attention as she turned towards him quickly. The wind whipped her soft hair around her face as she smiled in greeting. “Don't look all innocent! What do you think you're doin’?”

Her eyes blinked widely, dumbfounded as he approached. “Laundry.”

“No shit,” he huffed, looking over her handiwork. “I meant  _ why _ ? I told you to stay in that room.” God… he sounded like Yukio, he thought with a grimace. His eyes quickly flicked to a pair of his boxer briefs drying on the line, and he flushed hotly as he ripped them down. “Besides, it’s weird having a girl handle my clothes like this!”

Her smile was mildly amused as she crossed her arms. “So I'm a girl now? I thought I was just your secret, pet demon.”

Rin spluttered, fumbling for a reply. “You know what I mean! And I never called you my pet.”

Meron shrugged dismissively, taking down the last few pieces of clothes and tucking them into their respective baskets. “In any case, you never specifically said I couldn't leave the room. You just said not to cause trouble and don't let anyone see me. I’ve kept my end of the bargain, but I got bored.”

“Kept your end my ass,” he snarked back, pointing to Kuro who’d tagged along at his ankles. “You went into town, didn't you?” Her brow raised quizzically. “Don't play dumb. He said you gave him tuna!”

“Oh,” she chuckled easily. “I did, but I promise I haven't left the dormitory.” Before he could interrogate her further, she held out a hand as glittering, dark smoke curled in her palm. When it cleared, a pristine can of wet cat food was balanced between her fingers. “I may not be very strong, but little tricks like this are my specialty.”

He watched her pull the tab on the can to open it, placing it in front of Kuro as he purred happily and lapped it up. In his amazement Rin nearly forgot his irritation altogether. “Oh,” he mumbled sheepishly, “my bad… so wait, you can make anything?”

She shook her head, stooping to stack the baskets and pick them up. “Mainly just simple things. And nothing bigger than my own body. Food is pretty easy, especially since I can almost always sense a desire for it nearby.”

As he took one of the baskets from her, Rin couldn't help but grow curious. “You keep bringing that up: desire, or whatever. Just what kind of demon are you?”

Her cheeks flushed as she paused, averting her gaze. “You might say I'm kind of a… a patron of indulgence, I guess. I take advantage of humans’ innermost wants to exploit them. Make them easier to possess… At least, that's what I'm supposed to do.”

“Supposed to…?”

She shook her head as she strode past him. “It's nothing. The wind is picking up, so let's just go inside before we’re blown away.”

Curious as he was, Rin knew if he pressured her she'd only clam up further. He didn't want to risk pushing her away. “Right… hey, don't go making a habit of this stuff,” he called as he followed her back inside. “I don't need Yukio to start expecting me to do a bunch of housework. I've got other shit to do, y’know!”

She laughed ahead of him, carrying her basket easily with it balanced against her hip as she descended the steps. “Why do you think I did it in the first place?” Once at the foot of the staircase she paused to let him catch up, turning to look him in the eye. “I can tell you two work a lot, and frankly this place is kind of a wreck. If I'm going to stay here, the least I can do is earn my keep.”

“And you were the one complaining about being like a pet or somethin',” he grumbled with an embarrassed flush of his cheeks. “I didn't let you in here to be a maid.”

“Don't think of me as a maid then,” she told him as she offered an easy smile, poking him in the chest with her free hand. “Think of me as a handy roommate with too much freetime. You can't honestly expect me to just sit around and do nothing, can you? I'd probably waste away like that.”

He thought about that for a moment, biting the inside of his cheek. It felt weird having a girl cleaning up after him, yet he saw the sense in it. He knew if he was in her shoes he wouldn't be able to stand being cooped up with nothing to do… damn it. “Fine, if it'll keep you busy,” he sighed after a long moment of consideration. “But hands off my underwear, you got it?”

“Deal,” she laughed blithely, holding her hand out to shake his.

He took her in for a moment, that wide, fanged grin and those friendly eyes. Her demeanor had totally changed from the day before; she'd seemed so timid and afraid, but now it was like looking at a whole new person. Maybe because she felt safe. The thought made him smile softly, only to try and smother it back down as he moved to shake her hand. “Okay… it's a deal then.”

Suddenly he stiffened, his stomach giving a long, low growl. Heat flooded his cheeks, his arms clumsily crossing to cover the perpetrator as if to muffle the sound; she offered a tiny laugh, giving his hand a tug. “You haven't eaten yet,” she guessed as she guided him down the hall to drop off the laundry before heading for the dining area. “I can fix that.”


	3. "Want"

Rin was so used to cooking his own meals that it was kind of weird to have someone waiting on him. Especially when that someone was a pretty little demon that he'd known for all of twelve hours. Just like the treat she’d conjured for Kuro, she pulled his breakfast seemingly from thin air, one dish at a time. Before long she had the table set with quite the spread, certainly more than he was used to.

As if reading his mind, her tail gave a silly little wag as she offered an uncertain smile, her hands folding behind her back. “I wasn't sure what you'd want, so I thought I’d give you a few options.”

‘ _A few_ ’ was a modest way to put it. He nodded, looking over the veritable buffet hungrily. There was toast, fresh fruit, eggs, bacon... “Are those crepes?” he asked with a little twinkle in his eyes. “I've never tried them!” Seeming pleased by his enthusiasm, she nodded and watched him sit down and help himself, but made no move to fix herself a plate. “Aren't you having any?”

Her bright eyes blinked in consideration, her head shaking once. “I don't eat, really. I can, but I don't need to.”

“So what, I'm supposed to finish all this myself?” he began with a dubious raise of his brow. “There's enough here for a family!”

“No, no,” she eased, her hands raising passively. “Just have as much as you like. I wanted to make sure there was plenty. I'm uh… not a good judge when it comes to portions, since I don’t eat or get hungry. If it's too much, don't worry about it.”

He couldn't place why, but for some reason he read that as some kind of challenge. Besides, after growing up poor he hated to waste food. There was definitely a lot there, but it all looked so good; moreover, his appetite had always been more than generous. Seldom had he ever gotten to truly eat his fill. Whether it was pride or just taking advantage of a rare opportunity, he flashed a smirk and gave his knuckles an eager crack. “I can finish it,” he said boldly.

She sat too, but probably just out of politeness as she took the seat across from him. “If you say so. It's really okay if you can't.”

“You think I'm a quitter?”

Meron smiled as she shook her head, her expression caught between puzzled and amused. “Not at all. Go ahead and eat then. Your hunger’s giving me a migraine.”

He raised a brow, already halfway through a large mouthful of crepes. They were thin and fluffy, filled with thick cream and jam and topped with powdered sugar and plump, ripe berries. He'd never eaten anything so fancy, and it honestly made him melt a bit just from the rich mix of flavors, sweet and tart and light. His mouth was practically watering. “You're weird,” he finally remarked through the food in his mouth, “but you make a damn good breakfast.”

Seeming pleased, Meron chuckled to herself as she watched him eat. She was oddly still and ever-so patient, but her unmoving, quiet presence didn't perturb Rin like he’d half-expected it to. “How long will Yukio be out?” she asked after a few minutes.

Rin was on his second plate, having finished off the crepes and assorted fruit already. He briefly wondered if he should've saved them for last, sweet as they were. Could breakfast come with a dessert portion? Ah, hell with it. “I dunno,” he mumbled around a mouthful of bacon and toast. “He's usually gone all day. Why?”

“I just wanted to see how much time I had before I go back to my cell.” Her smile was sweet, but there was a solemn twinkle in her minty eyes. “I'm kidding of course. I just don't want to be caught in the middle of something and get us both in trouble, that's all. You said he'd try to exorcise me, right?”

Rin shrugged, fluffing his hair nervously as he swallowed the food in his mouth. “I don't really know. Probaby. He hardly trusts anything demon-related. Not even Mephisto.” He trailed off, stabbing his chopsticks into his helping of eggs as he tugged the dish closer. “Not even me. He's just really overprotective.”

Meron gave him a lingering look, her eyes wide and thoughtful. Out of nowhere she smiled and offered a little laugh. “He loves you a lot,” she concluded, making Rin’s cheeks heat up at her bluntness. “I can understand his caution.”

“Yeah,” he mumbled as he shoved a bite past his lips, looking sideways to avoid her eyes. “I guess.”

“You love him too.”

“Hey, what's that got to do with anything?” He was marvelously pink now.

“Nothing I guess,” she conceded, her fingers folding together on the tabletop. Once again she fell silent for a few moments, watching as Rin steadily worked his way through the large meal he'd dedicated himself to. She didn't even realize her focus on his full lips, or the flicks of his soft tongue as he licked away any crumbs. “How is everything? I might be a little rusty.”

“It's great!” He immediately perked with the change of subject. With about half of the food she'd made gone, he felt comfortably full; his usually flat, angular stomach was a bit more rounded, weighing softly in his lap. “Thanks! Next time let me cook for you, yeah?”

He was a bit surprised to see her cheeks turn a soft, subtle shade of pink. It was a cute color on her, so similar to her hair, and it made her freckles light up like tiny stars. “That's sweet of you,” she began, her nimble fingers twisting delicately in her feathery fringe, “but I don't-”

“No buts. It's my treat,” he insisted, secretly delighting in the timid tremble of her lips. “You said you can eat even if you don't need to, so I bet you can taste too. Trust me, you'll be glad you tried it.”

His bright grin softened the tension in her body language, her fingers untangling from her silky locks to rest in her lap. “If you say so.”

About five more minutes of comfortable silence passed before Rin started to slow down in his self-appointed duty to finish all that was in front of him. He'd certainly eaten more than Meron had expected him to, even while reading his hunger and sensing his strong desire for sustenance. He looked a bit flushed, and he was leaning comfortably back in his chair as he picked away at the last few dishes. His fitted shirt seemed slightly snug around his swollen middle, a soft shadow visible where his belly button was.

“Are you full?”

As if he'd forgotten she was there, he jolted upright when he heard her voice in the near-silence. The sudden movement made him flinch as it prompted a little ache in his swollen stomach. He hadn't even realized how stuffed he was, but he wasn't about to puss out either. Besides… it didn't feel terrible. Actually kind of good, if he was honest. “Nah, I can finish it.”

There was only a small stutter in his words, but she still picked up on it. Stubbornness and embarrassment were warring away in his mind, visible in his pinched brows, set jaw, and warm blush. It was… actually kind of adorable. She shook the thought off easily and offered an encouraging smile. Part of her knew it was just his pride driving this binge, but she couldn't help feeling there was more to it.

“Alright then,” she hummed amicably, leaning down to give Kuro a pat as he weaved between her legs.

* * *

 

_Rin? Rin!_

He wasn't sure how long it had been since he'd dozed off, leaning back in the dining chair. His eyes blinked blearily at Kuro as the Cat Sidhe perched in his lap. His front paws were digging into his rounded, taut stomach, and based on the subtle, lingering ache in his gut he figured it couldn't have been long. Maybe twenty minutes. He sat up and gave his bloat a disdainful rub, his cheeks warming slightly. Man, he'd totally pigged out… and in front of a girl, too. Demon or not it embarrassed him to think about. What had gotten into him?

He gave his surroundings a once-over, gradually regaining his mental faculties. The table was spotless, and Meron nowhere to be seen. A blanket was draped over his lap, and his teeth caught his bottom lip gently when he noticed it. She didn't have to do that...

 _Rin,_ Kuro whined with a drawn out yawn as he kneaded the stiff mound of his gut with his white paws. Rin flinched at the pressure. _I'm bored and Meron’s busy, so wake up!_

“Busy with what?” he grumbled as he rubbed sleep from his eyes and a thin line of drool from his chin. When he stood he stumbled a bit and caught himself against the table, feeling heavy and bloated and just generally off-balance. Once again he was forced to admit that it wasn't an entirely displeasing sensation, but the thought alone made him frown dubiously as he cradled his stomach with one hand. “Where is she?”

 _Last I saw her she was cleaning your room,_ Kuro answered helpfully.

If he'd had the energy or the wherewithal he'd have bolted for his room to usher her out. In his current food-drunk and drowsy state he could barely manage an irritated grunt, his stomach groaning painfully. “Nosy little…” He didn't even have it in him to be annoyed. Not really. She was trying to be helpful and show her appreciation or whatever… besides, her looks aside, she was still a demon. Human concepts of privacy probably weren't on her radar.

Sure enough he trudged his way sluggishly up the stairs to find Meron flitting casually about his room. Every step made his stomach cramp a bit. He needed to lay down and sleep of his veritable food baby. He watched from the doorway for a moment, leaning against the wooden frame and idly rubbing spirals into his stomach. She'd organized his desk, picked all the clutter up off the floor… she’d even alphabetized his modest manga collection. At the moment she was bent over his bed, tucking the sheets in neatly and smoothing them out.

When he caught himself admiring the curve of her back and the fullness of her hips he shook his head roughly. “Hey,” he called gruffly from the door, though there was very little edge to his tone.

She straightened immediately, turning around and looking only slightly flustered. Her tail had been waggling comfortably behind her, keeping rhythm with the soft tune she'd been humming, but now it was coiled tightly around her thigh. A fight-or-flight reflex, he guessed. “Rin! Sorry I didn't wake you…”

“S’fine,” he mumbled, rubbing his neck and ignoring the burning in his cheeks and twist in his core as she noticeably glanced down at the taut, outward curve of his belly. Did she have to look at him like that? He already felt weird enough about it. “Why’re you in my room?”

“It just made sense,” she answered easily, unblinking. “If Yukio’s going to assume it’s you doing all the cleaning anyway, I might as well start here. Besides...” As she paused her smile grew mildly teasing and showed off her sharp fangs. “It was really a mess.”

He ducked his head in embarrassment as he brushed past her to flop unapologetically onto the bed she'd been prepping. It hadn't been long since he'd woken up that day, so was he really going to take a nap so early? It wasn’t even noon. The drawn-out groan of his tightly packed stomach told him that yes, yes he was.

“You overdid it,” Meron guessed with a small raise of her eyebrows, unbothered by the work he'd undone.

“No need to rub it in,” he muttered as he rolled onto his back with a stubborn pout. He was surprised when she sat herself so casually on the edge of the mattress, his form going rigid.

“I wasn’t trying to.” She paused, tossing her gaze toward the floor briefly before meeting his dilated eyes. “It's my fault. I made too much.” Raising a hand and spreading her fingers pointedly towards his middle, she offered an apologetic smile. “May I?” She reached marginally for the subtle swell of his stomach, giving him plenty of time to protest.

He didn't. He shut his eyes tight, his brow furrowing tensely and his face burning like a hot skillet, but he begrudgingly allowed her touch. Why exactly he went along with it, something so borderline degrading, he wasn't sure. Maybe it was because she was a demon and not a real, human girl; maybe because he was starved for affection. Or maybe just because his stomach hurt so fucking much. Either way, he sighed tensely, his breath needling in his tight throat.

Meron’s fingers were cool and gentle, her palm soft on his stomach. Even through the fabric of his shirt her touch made him shiver a bit. He hesitantly opened his eyes to watch her hand, fighting down the shuddery sigh threatening in his lungs before he glanced up to try and read her expression. She wasn't even facing him as she stroked circles into his stomach, her hooded eyes staring off at something far away. Still, her face seemed to glow with warmth, her lips pursed ever-so slightly.

“If this is weirding you out then don't do it,” he grunted as he covered his eyes shamefully with his forearm. He didn't know why he'd found offense in her distant gaze, but he did.

He didn't see it, but he felt her shift as she turned towards him. Her knee bumped his hip softly, making him stiffen. “That's not it,” she assured him, giving a more firm stroke of her hand as if to make her point or to comfort him further. “I thought it would make you uncomfortable for me to look. I really don’t mind.”

He moved his arm and cracked one eye open, startled by the boldness of her gaze. With a flush of his cheeks and an awkward stutter, he looked away with a gruff sigh. The first time he'd ever been touched by a girl so intimately, and it had to be like this? But he'd wanted her to. He hadn't even realized it until she offered, but then he remembered what she’d said about “sensing desire.”

“So you're psychic or somethin’?” he asked with a dull, weak attempt at a smirk.

At first her brows pinched, puzzled, as if unsure of what he was getting at. Then it clicked, her lashes fluttering as her eyes blinked open widely. “Oh… that. Not exactly. It’s more like an instinct… I just get these feelings.”

“ _Feelings_?” He was curious; how could he not be?

She fluffed a hand through her bangs, careful to avoid the base of her horns. “I can tell when people want things, and usually get a good sense of what it is. The longer I’m with a single person, the stronger that sense gets. I can’t really shut it off though.” She trailed off, her hand coming to a gradual stop at the crest of his abdomen, the other pressing her fingertips against her forehead. “Sometimes they're just murmurs, so they're easier to tune out. Some are louder and clearer, harder to ignore… either way they never stop. At least, they didn’t until I met you.” 

He couldn’t help but drop his jaw a bit at that, his eyes blinking wildly. “... Me?”

She nodded once, turning her gaze demurely away. “When I first saw you, it was like a spotlight. It shut off all the white noise, and... I could actually hear myself think for once. There were no more voices. Well, except yours.”

Rin had gradually started to sit up, propping his weight on his elbows. It made his gut slosh and bulge in his lap, but he ignored it. “But it's like you don't even have free will that way,” he murmured with a slight grimace.

“Barely. I'm usually too busy listening to other people's wants to even be aware of my own.”

“Well…” He paused, nervously averting his eyes as he swallowed the slight dryness in his throat. “What _do_ you want?”

The question seemed to startle her, her posture straightening and her fingers curling tightly against his tight belly. After a moment of fidgeting with the stretched fabric of his shirt she retracted her hand and smiled, but it looked meek and unsure. “That's a good question. I guess I'm still working on that part.”


	4. Getting Comfortable

It was early-afternoon before Rin woke from his minor food coma. The full swell of his stomach had decreased back to it's normal, firm slate, he noted as he gave the surface a curious little rub. He sat up in bed and stretched for a moment before kicking his blankets off and rousing himself. Odd as it was he felt chipper and satisfied as he went to find Meron, despite the waste of his morning.

Yukio still hadn't come home as far as he could tell. “Meron?” he called, his voice echoing down empty halls. He checked her room first, unsurprised to find it vacant, but tidier than it had been before. How busy had she kept herself while he was asleep?

His stomach growled softly, which actually surprised him a bit. How could he be hungry so soon after that insane breakfast? Scratching the back of his head idly, he dismissed it before heading down for the kitchen to fix himself some lunch. By the time he got there he found Meron sweeping the dining area, humming softly to herself. A modest bento was already waiting on the table. It wasn’t exactly light in its helpings, but certainly not as generous as that morning’s bounty.

“It's for you,” she said as she to felt his queer gaze, smiling half-heartedly. Who else would it have been for? She hadn’t even needed to look up from her task to know he was there, but now she was meeting his eyes fondly.  “Sorry… I know you wanted to cook, but I couldn't help myself when I felt how hungry you were.”

He couldn't even find it in himself to act irritated, especially not with how good the food looked and how sweetly she was smiling at him. Despite knowing about her nature, her “itch” as she'd explained it, he couldn't help find the gesture thoughtful. “It's fine,” he replied with a wide, toothy grin before sitting himself down to eat. He pressed his palms together, chopsticks impatiently in hand. “Thank you for the food.”

He felt bad watching her clean and keep busy while he ate. It really did feel like having a maid or something. Or a housewife. A warm flush tinted his cheeks at the thought, but before he could chastise her and insist she take a break they both froze upon hearing the front door swing open and snap shut. It was after a frantic glance at him that Meron tripped her way fearfully into the kitchen area to hide behind the dividing wall.

Yukio greeted him with a wave, still in his Exorcist uniform and carrying his customary briefcase. “Afternoon.”

“Hey,” Rin managed to reply casually, trying hard to disguise his brief moment of panic. His voice cracked a bit, but that was the only sign of his nerves. “How was your assignment?”

“It went smoothly.” In the world of Exorcism, “smoothly” was usually the best one could hope for. Yukio felt no need to elaborate as he gave a glance around, looking pleasantly surprised.“Have you done more cleaning?”

“Y-yeah, a bit.” A sour taste filled Rin’s mouth as he was forced to take credit for Meron’s efforts. He took generous bite of one of the onigiri in his bento to try and muffle the flavor, not quite bothering to finish his mouthful before speaking up again. “I guess I've been on kind of a kick or somethin’.”

“I see.” As always he was hard to read between his brother’s mellow voice and enigmatic smile. “This ‘kick’ hadn't distracted you from your studies has it?” The blank look on Rin’s face was enough to convince Yukio that it had, apparently. “While I appreciate the work, it's important you keep up with school. I hope you'll get your homework taken care of once you've finished eating.”

Rin hadn't realized he'd been holding his breath until Yukio stalked off to his room. Meron peaked through the window of the dividing wall to make sure he'd left before slinking back out. “I guess I need to head back to my room then.”

He didn't see her again until later that night. After fixing dinner he made sure to pay her a visit before going to get Yukio. Tapping his foot against the door to knock on it, he balanced a bowl full of curry and rice in one hand and a couple volumes of his favorite manga in the other. She answered cautiously, blinking in surprise when she noticed all he'd brought her. Before she could question it, he carefully nudged his way inside.

“I said I wanted to cook for you,” he explained with an idle grin as he set his offerings down on the standard desk at the center of the back wall. His tail wagged proudly behind him as he noticed the visible fluster she poorly tried to disguise. “And I always keep my word. Oh, and I brought these so you wouldn't be bored.”

For a moment she was stunned silent, her hands limp at her sides and her jaw a little slack as she considered his kindness. Nobody had ever been so considerate of her, and honestly she didn’t know how to respond to it all. “That's-” She paused, her cheeks warming as she combed through her bangs. “You didn't have to…”

“I wanted to,” he cut in with a broad, starry smile as he ruffled her hair playfully between her horns. “Don't be ungrateful now. Eat up!” He didn't stay long, just enough to watch her beam gleefully after taking her first, unsure bite. Apparently she liked it, and that made his heart swell slightly against his ribs. A little laugh escaped him, and he wished her a good night before going to have dinner with his twin.

* * *

It took a bit of getting used to, but soon Meron became a welcome and familiar presence to Rin. She had a warmth and wit about her that he couldn’t help but find charming, and she was also surprisingly helpful with his demon studies… or maybe not so surprising, all things considered. If he found himself stuck somewhere she was often by his side in moments to help him out in any way she could. At first he’d chastised her for being so careless, but he appreciated the assist too much to stay irritated for long.

Most of all she was just nice to have around; he hadn't realized how lonely the massive dormitory could get until he knew what it felt like to have a companion like her. Yukio made poor company, if he was even around anyway, and Kuro slept a lot. His friends from Cram School were often too busy to hang out on short notice too. Meron was just so attentive, practically doting on him at any chance she got. It was… nice. Odd and a bit awkward at first. Certainly something he wasn't used to, but maybe that’s why he came to appreciate it.

A couple weeks passed, and although they'd had a few close calls they found a good rhythm in hiding her presence without confining her to a single room. Yukio was home so seldom, busy with school and his work, and even when he was in the dorm he usually stayed holed up in his room. Aside from that, his routines were so methodical that they were easy to plan around. One day she'd jokingly asked if he wasn't really his brother, but rather a nagging robot-nanny.

She'd particularly taken to sharing meals with him whenever possible, even if she didn't always feel like eating. Often times she'd provide ingredients while Rin cooked, and she always watched intently while he worked, like it was a magic trick or a puzzle she was trying to solve. To her, it was pretty amazing to see him turn simple meats and vegetables into a culinary delight rather than just conjuring one from thin air.

As for him, it made him nervous at first to have her watch his every move and linger so closely, but he quickly warmed to her near-ubiquitous company. Besides that, she always added a little something extra to his once modest meals, like a dessert or some rich side dish, and he never left the table without feeling comfortably full. Sometimes more than what was comfortable. To be frank, he rarely went hungry with her around.

Merely a few days into her stay she'd started stopping by his room with “study snacks,” and always at the perfect time it seemed, just when a craving was starting to hit. At first he'd chided her and insisted she didn't have to cater to his every whim; she'd flustered at first, then simply assured him it was easier for her, even pleasant, to do exactly that. So he didn't give much of a fight on the matter. Her offerings were usually simple, like chips or a protein bar, but on occasion she'd surprise him with something a little more exotic that he'd never had the means to try before. His favorite had been a box of assorted macarons.

“I've always wanted to try these,” he'd beamed as he bit into one. It was crispy and fluffy and mildly sweet, and practically melted on his tongue. Every color had a different flavor, and each one’s taste made him downright giddy as he idly snacked on them. His favorites were the yellow ones, some kind of subtle, lemon flavor. Eventually he reached into the box only to stall, surprised to find he'd blown through them all within an hour without even thinking about it… and it hadn’t exactly been a small assortment either. After that she brought him macarons more frequently, since he seemed to like them so much.

If his clothes started fitting a little more snugly, if he'd had to start keeping his belt on a looser notch, he didn't notice. It had never even crossed his mind what might come from his new eating habits and from Meron’s quirky penchant of spoiling him. After all, he'd never had to worry about his weight before (except maybe being too scrawny), but with the appetite of a demon and the body of a human, it wouldn't be long before he would. All the extra calories he was consuming had to go somewhere.

The first clue he got was when Yukio came to see him before heading out for a mission. Rin was sitting at the desk in his room when his brother knocked on the door before entering, then explained how long he expected to be. He punctuated the rather formal goodbye by telling Rin not to wait up for dinner. This seemed to trigger a second thought as he lingered in the doorway a second too long and gave his twin a searching once-over.

“Have you been... feeling alright?” He'd paused, reconsidering his initial question. It was so obvious to him, but for Rin to be unaware of his slightly softer shape wouldn't have surprised him in the least. He wasn't always the most self-aware, and the change was subtle. Originally he was going to be blunt and ask if he'd been eating more or slacking off in his training, but knowing his brother he decided a more tactful approach would reap better results. He always got so defensive, after all.

Rin raised a brow at him in confusion, turning in his chair. His thighs looked just a little thicker, his stomach not-quite flat and his hips less narrow. A couple weeks ago he'd been all angles and sharp edges, but that was no longer the case. Still, he was oblivious. “Of course,” he answered without missing a beat. “Why?”

After a minuscule pause Yukio gave an absent smile and shook his head. It was nothing to worry about, he decided, and certainly nothing to give his brother a complex over. Whatever it was making him so chipper, Yukio didn't want to risk dampening it. He was being more responsible and proactive, waking up on his own, putting more time into his studies, and even cleaning the dormitory; his brother was in high spirits and he wasn't going to spoil that over a few extra pounds. “No, nothing. I just wanted to check in.”

Rin looked at him for a moment, his brows still pinched together curiously. “Okay, well… everything’s fine. Thanks.” The two exchanged a nod before Yukio turned and left, shutting the door quietly behind him. Rin breathed a relieved sigh before turning to his closet, the door open barely an inch or so. “Coast’s clear.”

Meron’s pale eyes glowed from the darkness of the closet as she crept out and joined him at his desk. “That was close. He's pretty hard to sense,” she mumbled as she perched on the edge of the desk and crossed her legs. That was partially because of how strong Rin’s aura was to her in comparison, but Yukio was also a bit of an anomaly, as she’d already noticed.

Her tail curled over her legs as she glanced at the tiny hint of a chubby bulge in his lap, his body marginally softer than when they'd met. It wasn’t that she hadn’t noticed it before, but reading the energy coming off the younger twin had brought it to the forefront of her mind. He was definitely gaining a bit of weight, but he’d been so skinny to begin with that she failed to see any problem with it. It brought an affectionate smile to her lips; she certainly wouldn't be the first to worry him. He seemed content, and that was enough to keep her lips sealed, at least for the time being.

“I doubt he’d know what ‘desire’ or whatever even feels like,” Rin joked playfully with a casual shrug. “It's not surprising you can’t pick up on him much.”

She shook her head, eyeing him up and down without him noticing. His eyes and hands were too busy reading and taking notes. “He has desire,” she contradicted with a level confidence, her fingernails tracing and tapping lazily over the wood. “It's just so repressed. Half the time it's like he doesn't know what he wants, or just won't acknowledge it. He’s the complete opposite of you.”

Rin flushed at the insinuation, glancing up at her and her pretty, lash-hooded eyes, then down her graceful neck and back up. At least he’d managed to redirect his gaze before he caught himself being too big a pervert. He gulped, shifting uncomfortably in his seat. “What's that supposed to mean?”

A hesitant hum of laughter bubbled in her throat as she kicked her leg gently, her motions soft and well-mannered. “Nothing. You just know yourself… it’s a good thing.” She nudged him with the toe of her ballet flat, drawing his gaze as it sank subtly into the extra padding around his waist; he suddenly realized how close her shapely thigh was to his hand. “You aren't afraid to go for what you want.”

_ Usually. _

Meron didn't need her strange sixth sense or whatever it was subconsciously linking her to Rin to read him, but it certainly helped. Centuries of life and studying human body language made it simple enough: his pink cheeks, his nervousness in looking at her, his fidgety hands. They were sure signs of infatuation, and that made guilt stab at her heart. She’d been trying so hard not to influence him that way, but he was still half human after all, and that’s just what her power did… whether she wanted it to or not.

This wasn't quite the same as common lust though. That was one sensation she was all too familiar with. His desires were more complex than she was accustomed to, especially when it came as a result of her demonic charm. It was so much more confusing, ran so much deeper, and it unnerved her to recognize how this esoteric yearning made her blood pound in her ears, unlike any other human had. Thus far she’d managed to stave off the urge to give into his more carnal wants, for his sake.

Before he could pipe up to question her further, she slipped off the desk and conjured a box of macarons to leave for him before heading towards the door. “I won't keep distracting you,” she tossed casually over her narrow shoulder, though her motives for leaving were more selfish than that. She needed space from his infectious feelings to clear the fog from her mind, before she did something they’d both regret. “I'll see you tomorrow.”

Rin watched her carefully exit the room, tucking her tail safely around her leg. By then he'd picked up on that quirk of hers, her demon body language and what it signified. If she was so comfortable around him to let her guard down like that, then what was with that weird exit? The thought made his chest tighten as he sighed and slumped in his chair. He didn't understand women at all. All he knew was that pesky feelings were taking root. Despite her being a demon, and despite his better judgement.

Right. A demon. Even with her horns and tail it was easy to forget. She definitely didn’t act like any 'intelligent' demon he’d ever encountered. She seemed way too… normal. Too sweet. Fact was fact though: Meron was a demon. As always he'd managed to get himself in an awkward situation, but as always he was too stubborn and driven by his emotions to detach himself from it. He was six cookies in now, and the more he mulled over his feelings versus Meron’s humanity (or lack thereof) the more he ate. Within twenty minutes the box was empty, but his stomach was far from it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Quick update: my plan is to upload a new chapter every Sunday, possibly an extra one in the middle of the week if I can manage it. As always, thank you for reading and supporting my work!


	5. Self Awareness

Damn shirt. Stupid buttons. When had his uniform shrunk?  _ How _ had it shrunk? Rin muttered indistinctly under his breath as his fingers fumbled to fasten up his shirt. He’d already wasted a solid five minutes or so on his pants, hiking them up over his thighs and yanking his fly together. They weren’t irredeemably small, but snug enough to be a pain… and to be a bit noticeable. Meron must've washed them wrong, he told himself despite the softness and little wobbles of his newly pudgy tummy. 

As if on cue he heard a knock on the door, and he cast a nervous glance when he heard it open. “It's me,” Meron greeted as she shut the door casually behind her.

“H-hey!” he cried, bunching his shirt around himself as best he could. “I'm getting dressed! D’you mind?”

“It doesn’t bother me,” she assured him easily, looking him up and down. He flushed hotly; her comfort wasn’t exactly what he’d been concerned with. “Anyway, you were running late, and I was worried you might’ve overslept. Yukio’s already gone.”

He huffed, timidly tugging at the buttons of his shirt. “It's my stupid uniform,” he grunted dismally as he finished fastening it. The way it strained and pulled around his thicker, softer form was irritating at best. His pants hugged his thighs and plump backside, his hips bulging over the waistband even without his belt. There were miniscule creases between the buttons of his shirt as the fabric strained around his tubby middle, and even his blazer felt small. “Did you do something different with the laundry? All my stuff shrank.”

Meron had to try hard not to smile in her fond amusement, keeping her expression as mildly placating as possible as she watched him knot his tie. Did he really believe that? It was so obvious. “I don't think so,” she told him with a patient, thoughtful hum. “You're  _ sure _ they've shrunk?” Whether out of pity or just for his pride’s sake, she didn't elaborate.

Rin’s expression was deadpan as he gestured to himself. “Just look.” She did, and happily; his subtle curves were plush and inviting as they pushed against the confines of his clothes, but she didn't say anything on the matter. “What else could it be? Damn it, I can't wear this. It looks ridiculous!”

“Calm down, okay?” she soothed as she came closer, her tail giving a curious lash behind her. “I can fix them.” He took a small, surprised step back, gasping when her hands moved to rest on his waist, just above the subtle, doughy curve of his hips. His cheeks flushed darkly, his mouth frozen in unspoken admonishment. He didn't realize he'd been holding his breath until she spoke up again. “Relax: it's just me.”

He released a shaky sigh, his hands fidgeting against his thighs. How could she be so casual, touching him like that? There was so little space between their bodies, her gaze intent on his tight clothes. After a moment or two of the tense silence he realized they weren't so tight anymore, the fabric going a little more slack around his frame. She took a quick step back and folded her hands modestly behind her as she glanced over her work. “Better?”

He looked himself over briefly, tugging at the fabric a bit before nodding; his flustered pout was replaced by a grin. “Hey, cool,” he said chipperly, his momentary embarrassment forgotten. He was a simple man, after all. “Fits perfect! Thanks Meron: you're the best.” 

Rin surprised even himself when he stooped down to wrap his arms around her slender waist and lifted her effortlessly in a short hug. She was so light, but he wasn’t exactly a weakling either. Meron’s heart skipped and drummed in her chest as she sucked in a startled gasp. He felt so nice, strong and soft and warm. She had but a split second to enjoy it, then all day to mull it over by herself once he'd gone.

* * *

Rin couldn't explain why, but the last few days of school had felt strange. Whispers seemed to follow him in the halls, and he constantly caught people quickly averting their eyes when he so much as glanced at them. He’d never liked these stuck up rich kids; he didn't fit in with them and they’d all known it since day one. Little had improved since his freshman year, but he was at peace with his status as something of a loner amongst his peers. Still, it made his skin itch nervously. Why did this feel different from their usual, cliquey gossiping?

He didn't figure out the reason behind his concerns until Cram School that evening. As usual Rin was one of the last to arrive, greeting everyone as he took a seat. Still in a chipper mood despite the weird vibes that day, his tail wiggled lazily behind him. At least for the first few minutes. Was he imagining it, or were they looking at him strangely too? 

Before he could voice his curiosity, Shima spoke up from behind him. “Hey, Okumura,” he began with a friendly wave and a lazy smile. “Guess you finally broke down and asked for a bigger uniform. That last one was lookin’ a bit worse for wear.” Typical, blunt Shima.

Shit, had they noticed? Wait, what did he mean a  _ bigger _ uniform?! “It just shrank,” he bit back with a hot flush in his cheeks; why was he getting so defensive? It was just a misunderstanding… right?

At that Bon scoffed outright as he wore a mildly taunting grin, which only made the heat in Rin’s face intensify. Like he needed anyone else involved in this. “Seriously? That's the oldest excuse in the book.”

“Excuse? What the hell’re you goin’ on about?” Rin barked out in retort, turning in his chair to better confront him and unwittingly putting his lightly-pudgy tummy on full display. Despite being his friend Bon was still kind of a smug jerk, their rivalry unforgotten; Shima on the other hand was just kind of a tactless idiot, and usually didn't realize when he'd put his foot in his mouth. Still, their insinuations made Rin visibly prickle. That only egged them on.

“Come on, Okumura,” Shima chimed in easily, relaxed as usual as he leaned comfortably forward to rest his elbows on the desk. “It's not a big deal. Getting a little chubby is nothing to throw a hissy fit over.”

It took all his self control to stay sitting, his face turning red-hot all the way up to the tips of his ears. “Wh-what? I'm not-...!” He swallowed, hunching in his chair a bit as if to make himself look smaller. All it really did was make his belly-pouch squish further in his lap. “Quit messin’ with me!”

“He's really in denial,” Kamiki commented, her tone disinterested but her smirk saying otherwise. “Ignorance is bliss, they say.”

Before Rin could snap at her for butting in, Konekomaru, ever the mediator, spoke up. “Hey, go easy on him,” he cut in softly, well meaning as always. “It's not like he’s falling behind, so a little extra weight isn't anything to poke fun at.”

“You too?” Rin whined, making Konekomaru blink in surprise, then shrug and chuckle apologetically. He was a nice guy and would never mock anyone... but he wasn't a liar. With a dry swallow Rin cast a nervous, not-so-subtle glance down at himself, as if just beginning to entertain the idea that he had, in fact,  _ maybe _ gotten a  _ tiny bit _ chubby; he remembered what Meron had asked him before letting his uniform out: if he was sure it had really shrunk. His cheeks burned, and he suddenly felt like such an idiot for not having noticed sooner. 

“You all waited until  _ now _ to point it out?” he grumbled, almost inaudible even in the quiet room.

“You really didn’t know? We figured it was obvious. But hey, don’t look so glum,” Shima lilted reassuringly. “It’s all in good fun. Just don’t slack too much or you might start slowing us down.” He grinned teasingly at the way Rin’s face flared as he bared his fangs. “Kidding, kidding!”

“It’s not funny,” Rin grumbled with a dull pout, his arms crossing around his middle section as if that could hide it. “Besides, I’m not slacking. I’ve been workin’ harder than ever.”

“Then how do you explain that gut?” Suguro prodded with an amused smirk as he leaned relaxedly back in his chair. “If you’re not getting lazy then you must really be packing the snacks away.”

Once again Rin was beaten to the punch as Konekomaru tried again to ease the situation. “Maybe he has someone fawning over him, like an admirer,” he offered helpfully, making Rin stiffen. As if noticing his surprise and confusion, Koneko was happy to elaborate: “You’ve been in a really cheerful mood for weeks, about the same time all this started. And you’ve been quick to leave class before anyone else, but you used to hang out with us before heading home. In that case, I can only assume you have plans with someone else. It’s also pretty common for people to gain a bit of honeymoon weight when they start dating someone... but I’m just guessing.” 

Damn him and his observations.

Now Shima was really interested, leaning forward in his seat more as he propped his chin in his palm. “Oh yeah? Did you finally nab a girlfriend, Okumura?” he asked with a coy little raise of his brow. “I wonder what  _ she _ thinks of your new look. Either way, it’s awful shady to keep her a secret from us. Come on, spill: I wanna know everything. Does she go to school here? Is she hot? Tall? Does she have big-?” He was cut off when Bon smacked him hard on the back of the head with his notebook.

For a moment Rin was too flabbergasted to form words, his mouth opening and closing periodically as his mind whirled. It was almost scary how close they were to the truth, not that he would’ve dared call Meron an admirer, let alone his…  _ girlfriend _ . When it came to the theory of someone spoiling him though, that was spot on. And apparently she’d been at least somewhat aware of it too, which only made him chew his lip nervously. Why hadn’t  _ she _ said anything? 

“She’s not my-...” He trailed off, blinking suddenly when he realized what he’d accidentally admitted.

“So there  _ is _ a girl!” Shima cheered triumphantly as he bolted upright, only to shrink back down in his seat as their instructor came in and signaled the start of class. He made pointed eye contact with Rin as he smirked and raised his brows again, as if to say “this isn’t over.” 

Rin turned his back to him and hunched his shoulders, trying to recover from that whole, humiliating conversation. It was hard to focus as he thought about Meron and glanced periodically down at the subtle bulge of his stomach in his lap. His fingers twitched against the tabletop as he fought the urge to press them into the plush swell and test its softness, like only that could truly convince him it was real. And maybe he was curious what it might feel like too.

The day went by at an annoyingly slow pace, and in between classes he had to fight off Shima’s constant pestering about the girl he’d been hiding from them. At least by then Suguro and the others had mostly lost interest, and Shiemi had so  _ helpfully _ pointed out that “Rin’s girlfriend was his business,” and that they should “respect his privacy.” That didn’t stop Shima from interrogating him about the mystery woman. Somehow he managed to bat away question after question, and he was just grateful when they were all finally dismissed from classes for the evening. 

He stood, pausing as he noticed how the table softly indented against his tummy when he did. Backing up quickly, he nearly knocked his chair over when his vaguely fuller ass met with it, still unaware of his own size. The change might not have been that dramatic, but it sure felt like it at the moment. Flustered and mildly panicked, he righted the seat and fumbled to gather all of his things, but before he could abscond Shiemi tugged his sleeve and offered a kind smile. 

“If you do have a girlfriend now,” she began sweetly, “I hope she makes you happy. And I hope we can meet her soon.”

Rin averted his gaze and massaged his neck. “I-... It’s not like that. I met a girl,” he finally admitted (though it was a half-truth at best) with a defeated sigh. His skin prickled, feeling Shima’s gaze on his back and certain his ears were perked for any details. “But she’s just a friend. That’s it, so can we drop it?”

His gaze was pointed directly to Shima, who shrugged and laughed sheepishly. “Alright, alright, I get it. I’ll leave it alone for now. Just tell your lady friend to hold off on all the snacks she’s giving you, yeah? It’d be a pain if your uniform were to ‘ _ shrink _ ’ again.”

Red flooded Rin’s face as he flipped Shima off and turned on his heel to leave the classroom, his pace quick as if trying to keep up with the drumming of his heart. Shit, how could he have been so stupid? Not only had he gained a visible amount of weight, but everyone had noticed long before he had, Meron included. That thought made his guts twist tensely. It wasn’t that he resented or blamed her. He doubted she’d done it on purpose… hell, she hadn’t  _ done _ anything except be nice; it was his own fault for not having any self control. 

But she’d been there the whole time he’d started gaining weight, and suddenly so many things she’d said or done had a totally different context. The way she’d poke or pat his sides in that sweet, comforting way she did, or when her eyes would linger and trail over him. Especially when he ate. It made sense now, in a weird way. He rubbed his face roughly with his hands the skin hot under his palms. What did she think of him? Did she think anything at all? 

The dormitory was as quiet as ever when he arrived home for the evening. He’d seen the light on in Yukio’s room as he walked up the path to the building, so he could only assume he was busy working or studying. He hesitated in the entryway before taking a breath and trudging inside, making a beeline for Meron’s room; once there, his hand hovered close to the wood as he debated whether or not to knock.

“You can come in,” he heard her call out before he could even make up his mind. Damn psychic bull shit…

He twisted the knob and opened the door a crack, peeking inside gingerly. She was laying on her stomach in bed with a manga open in front of her, her tail wagging lazily through the air as her eyes scanned the pages. Her chin was propped in one hand with her elbow braced against the mattress while the other hand sat ready to flip the page. Rin gulped, unable to keep from taking in the way her spine curved or the way her generous bust pushed and molded against the bed; he shook his head, averting his gaze a bit too quickly when she finally looked up from the volume.

“Was school alright?” she asked coolly, though her brows furrowed a bit as she pursed her lips. His silence must’ve worried her, because she sat upright, legs crossing, and closed the volume. “Is something wrong?”

“Why didn’t you tell me I was gettin’ fat?” He stalled, his eyes bugging a bit and his jaw going limp as he processed the words that had just fired from his mouth. Okay, maybe not the most delicate approach.

Meron seemed surprised too, blinking widely and parting her lips without verbalizing anything. Pink warmed her face as she processed that. “What?” Before he could even begin to think of how to continue, she stood up and strode closer, making his shoulders stiffen. “What’s this about?”

He steeled himself, burying his hands deep in his pockets and pushing forward no matter how uncomfortable it was. “Don’t act like you didn’t already notice.” He set his jaw as he swallowed thickly, shifting his weight from foot to foot. Every little fidget made him all too aware of how his flesh gently wobbled beneath his clothes, making his stomach knot up dubiously. That was…  _ new _ . “So why didn’t you say anything?”

Meron considered him patiently as she brushed through her hair. She was doing it again: looking him up and down, her gaze unreadable as a soft pink dyed her pretty face and darkened her freckles. Guilt needled in her chest; she hadn’t expected him to be so upset. “I didn’t think it mattered enough to mention. You seemed happy, and that’s all I cared about.”

Her straightforward answer made his heart thud, and he stared down at her in silence for a beat or two. Shiemi’s words echoed in his memory:  _ I hope she makes you happy. _ He sighed, looking down at the squishy swell of his stomach again and finally allowing himself to dip his fingers into the pliant flesh. The touch sent a shudder flitting up his spine and all the way back down to the tip of his tail. That was weird. But not  _ bad _ ? He repeated the action a bit more firmly before remembering her presence and tearing his hand away.

“I’m sorry,” she added after his long silence. It was hard to read his muddled emotions, swimming and churning around him. Was he  _ really _ upset though...? She couldn’t quite tell. All she knew that not everything he felt was negative, per se.

He sighed roughly, if not just to keep up appearances as he rolled his eyes. “It’s fine… don’t get all sappy on me, okay?”

She offered a timid smile, raising a brow slightly. “If you say so. But for the record,” she added as she reached out carefully, her palms taking in perfect handfuls of his rounded hips and making his breath hitch sharply in shock. The touch was meant innocently, just a comforting reassurance, but the second she made contact it felt way too intimate. Yet she couldn’t will herself to let go. “... I think you’re just fine like this.”

Their eyes locked, and as much as Rin wanted to question her further, his mouth was too dry and his head too fuzzy. That felt… really good, not that he could explain why. The give of his malleable flesh in her hands. Just as his thoughts were beginning to clear, he stiffened, Meron’s eyes widening fearfully as they both heard the cock of a gun behind him. He whirled quickly around to see Yukio standing in the doorway he’d so stupidly left open.

“Rin,” he began, his eyes narrowing as he trained his gun on Meron. “What the hell is that?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Cutting off on a bit of a cliff hanger, oops. Thanks as always for reading and supporting!


	6. The Arrangement

 It was no surprise that Yukio was furious. Rin held up his hands and blocked Meron with his body; she was frozen in fear, her tail coiled like a python around her leg and her skin suddenly going pale. “Put that thing away,” Rin demanded as he returned his brother’s scowl. “Don't point your gun at her.”

“Give me one good reason not to,” Yukio retorted grimly, his stance not budging. “Do you realize how much trouble you could get into for protecting a demon? As if we don't have enough to worry about.”

“She's not just a demon.” Yukio visibly flinched at Rin’s harsh, grating tone as he took a bold step forward, never giving his brother a clear shot at her. “Her name is Meron, and she hasn't done anything to deserve a gun in her face!”

His brother hesitated. He looked to the demon as she shrank back, her eyes dilated fearfully as they darted between the two of them. If she was really a threat, wouldn't she have attacked by then? Or at the very least run away? It was clear she felt threatened, yet she was still and patient. He'd seldom seen a demon look so genuinely afraid without reacting before.

He didn't lower his weapon, but the tension in his jaw eased. Barely. “Why is she here?” he questioned as calmly as he could; as much as he hated to admit it, Rin had a good sense for these things. Communicating with demons, even becoming friends with them. Still, he kept his guard up; instincts were a gamble, and Yukio trusted his knowledge and experience a hell of a lot more than Rin’s gut feelings.

“Your brother saved me.” It was the first time he'd heard her speak, quiet and careful. The way her voice shook was deceptively vulnerable, he thought. Almost human. She at least had the bravery to look him in the eye. “A group of Exorcists attacked me in True Cross Town and he stopped them. If it weren't for him they'd have exorcised me.”

“And she was just walking down the damn street,” Rin added quickly, eager to jump back to her defense. “It isn't fair to kill someone just for existing!” 

Yukio’s eyes narrowed, blatantly trying to ignore that last remark. It was hard though; after all, he and Rin had been marked for death the moment they were born. Like her, they’d have been executed if not for a certain Exorcist’s meddling. This was no time to get sentimental though, and he kept himself focused on the issue at hand. 

“Let me guess… this all started a month ago, right? You were the demon in True Cross Town that ‘got away.’” Then he looked pointedly at Rin, setting his jaw. “But in reality you helped her escape. Please don’t tell me you attacked your superiors just to save her.”

“No way!” Rin huffed, visibly offended by the insinuation; he may not have been the brightest guy out there, but he’d learned better over the years than to go picking needless fights. Mostly. “They let her go when I brought up-” He paused, his eyes sparking with realization. “I mentioned calling Mephisto about her and they left her alone. I bet he'll back me up!”

Yukio frowned doubtfully. Mephisto may have been a demon, but that didn't mean he always sympathized with his kin… or anyone, really. He acted only in favor of his own dubious agenda. That being said, it wasn’t surprising those Exorcists hadn’t wanted to involve him. “He’s a wild card, Rin. Just because they didn't want to deal with him doesn't mean he'll see things your way. Besides…” He trailed off, keeping his barrel trained on the girl. No, the  _ demon _ . “Tricking and tempting humans is their specialty. How do you know she isn't just using you?”

Now Meron was looking to Rin expectantly along with his brother. How  _ did _ he know? It was a valid fear for his brother to have, and his logic wasn't easily dismissed. Would Rin see things his way and turn on her? She swallowed her nerves down thickly, only to stall in shock when Rin answered without missing a beat: “I trust her, that's how.” A dull ache hit her square in the chest when she heard that.

Giving them one final glance-over, Yukio sighed heavily. Lowering his gun, his free hand raised to adjust his glasses. “... I'll call Mephisto and see what he has to say.”

“Not to worry!” Everyone jolted when a fourth voice joined the private discussion. The colorful headmaster appeared in the doorway, looking smug as ever with his sharp grin. Before they could question him he chimed in again. “Come now, do you really think there's anything that goes on around this campus that I'm not well aware of?”

“So you knew about this the whole time?” Yukio demanded, his brows pinching in frustration. He should've figured as much, honestly; maybe that's why he was so pissed. “Why didn't you do anything sooner?”

“I was intrigued to see how all this would play out,” Mephisto replied casually as he tilted his hat on his head. “After all, your brother does have a knack for making unlikely allies. Seeing a Succubus turn over a new leaf is no trivial matter.”

Meron flushed deeply as Rin’s jaw dropped, avoiding his shocked gaze. “S-Succubus?  _ That’s _ what you are?” The term was definitely familiar.  _ Those are the sexy demons right? _ He realized that after his first day of meeting her, he'd never really stopped to ask or even wonder what species of demon she was. But… he never would've guessed  _ that _ . In seconds Meron wasn't the only one looking a bit red in the face.

Mephisto answered for her. “Indeed. One of my direct kin, in fact.” Their eyes locked darkly, her jaw setting as her brows pinched with nerves. “That you've managed to tame one is quite a feat. They're rather fickle beings, you know… and as crafty as they are capricious. They feed on indulgence of all kinds and use it to tempt and corrupt humans, making  them easier targets for possession. Not particularly dangerous on the surface, but they can be quite troublesome nonetheless.”

Meron’s head hung, her fists clenching at her sides. She hadn't wanted Rin to find out her shameful nature… not like this, at least. “Those weren't my intentions,” she murmured out, still avoiding his eyes. “Even if they had been it would've been a waste of time. As a half demon yourself, I doubt you could be possessed at all.”

“Then what  _ were _ your motives, pray tell?” Mephisto goaded slyly, as if he didn’t already know. “It's not like frivolous demons such as your kind to bond to anyone for this long. Not without standing something to gain.”

Crossing her arms defensively over her chest, Meron paused as she timidly raised her chin in some attempt at bravery. She cast a nervous glance at Rin, who looked as expectant as anyone else. Even more so, actually. A heavy sigh escaped her. “My  _ initial _ reasons were… selfish. I wanted to be protected from exorcism, but even more than that-...” She trailed off, her fingers gripping her sleeves as she blushed softly. She couldn’t bare to meet Rin’s eyes, nor could she believe what she was about to admit. “He… made me feel more human. Like I actually had a will of my own.”

“How touching,” Mephisto drawled with a dismissive wave of his hand, his eyes rolling softly. “Well, no matter how human you  _ feel _ , that doesn't change your true nature. You're a demon that entices corruption, and as such you pose a threat to peace in Assiah. As for you,” he added as he pointed a finger to Rin. “Harboring a fugitive is a highly punishable offense.”

“If it's such a big deal, why wait this long to make a fuss?” Rin narrowed his eyes at the Demon King; he was playing his games again. He may not have been a genius, but he knew when Mephisto had something up his sleeve. Simply because he always did.

“An astute observation. The answer is simple: I see value in this little experiment of yours, that's all.”

Rin bristled, his tail lashing and fluffing up like a pissed-off tabby’s. “Meron’s not an experiment. She's my friend.”

“Adorable.” The Demon King rolled his eyes before continuing. “Whatever you want to call her, I'll allow this for now, so long as you two take responsibility for her behavior. As long as she's accompanied by one of you, she's free to roam the city without fear: either one of you could easily deal with her if need be, after all.” Rin’s eyes narrowed; he didn’t like that sound of that, but he held his tongue. “Think of it as a probationary period. Like training an unruly pet,” he added with a coy wink, making Meron grit her teeth.

Yukio gave a tired sigh, pinching the bridge of his nose beneath his glasses. “So now I'm expected to babysit  _ two _ demons now?”

“More or less! I'll put out the notice tomorrow and your protected status will take effect. Oh, and one more thing,” he added, his grin becoming catlike as he turned to leave, tossing an appraising glance at Rin over his shoulder. “I'd be careful if I were you. Her influence may be hard to resist, but you shouldn't  _ indulge _ too much, Mr. Okumura.”

Before Rin could spit or curse in reply, Mephisto disappeared with a snap in a cloud of pink smoke, as simple as  _ ein, zwei, drei _ . Within seconds the halfling’s aggression ebbed, his stance relaxing marginally as he glanced over at Meron. She'd gone oddly quiet and wouldn't meet his eyes. He couldn’t forget the admission that had been forced out of her though: he made her feel more human…? 

He cleared his throat uncomfortably. “So… a succubus, huh?”

“Please... don’t,” she sighed, the exasperation clear in her voice and her pinched brows. “There’s a reason I didn’t want you to know. We’re-...  _ I’m _ not like that.”

Rin blinked in surprise at her defensiveness, flushing and shaking his head. “Of course not! I didn't mean-”

“I'll let you discuss this in private,” Yukio cut in dismally with an awkward grimace. How did his brother always get them both stuck in such inconvenient situations? He didn't so much as nod as he turned to leave, shutting the door curtly behind him.

For a moment Rin and Meron were quiet, and the succubus fell onto her bed with a dull huff of breath. “I knew you'd react this way,” she muttered, rubbing her hands over her face. “Succubi have a pretty bad reputation… not that it’s undeserved. I was afraid you'd think less of me if you knew.”

After an awkward beat of silence, Rin gathered the courage to sit beside her, making the mattress creak softly under his added weight. “I'm just surprised is all. I mean… you're not exactly what comes to mind when I think of a succubus.”

Meron managed to scoff out an ill-humored laugh, her smile remaining uncertain. “Did you expect more leather and lace? Maybe some stilettos or a riding crop?” Rin’s warm flush and sideways glance made it apparent that, yeah, he'd had something more like that in mind. “That's a really outdated stereotype, you know. Besides, there are many different forms of seduction. Humans and their desires have become a lot more complex over the centuries, and demons had to adapt to that.”

Rin nodded as he gave her a brief once-over. It was still hard to believe that this cute, petite girl with her modest clothes and speckled cheeks was really a demon of…  _ seduction _ . He supposed he understood though, like humans and demons were leveling up at the same pace, each trying to outdo the other. Demons had to be crafty. Maybe she’d just been trying to hide in plain sight.

“Sounds complicated,” he remarked, unable to find much more to say at first. She nodded in agreement, her gaze stuck on her knees as she remained quiet. Enough of this tension, he thought with a light clench of his jaw. He turned to face her fully, his expression unwavering now. “Look, I don't care about whatever it is you did or who you were in the past, so stop acting so uptight about it. I just care about who you are now.”

She laughed dismally, but managed to meet his eyes with a sideways glance. “That's sweet… but I'm not really much good now either. I shouldn’t keep pretending to be a saint. Whether I meant to or not I still took advantage of you, and that's… wrong.”

He piqued a curious brow, only for both to raise in flustered surprise when she reached over to gently cup and pinch at his softly bulging stomach. He fought the knee-jerk reaction to grab her hand, the touch making him shiver softly. His throat tightened to repress a little groan at the sensation of molding flesh under her doll-like fingers. “Wh-what do you mean?” he stammered, barely keeping his cool. Why did he like that so much?

“Your wants. I can't shut them out, and I just keep giving in because it's easier than trying to ignore them.” There was more to it than that, but she couldn’t bring herself to say it. That he was charmed, and that he only liked her because of her demonic allure. That was what she’d convinced herself of, at least. “Even when I know I shouldn't, I can't help but feed into your temptation. It... feels too good.”

That wording made him gulp, red flooding his cheeks. Her voice was barely more than a whisper, and her touch was so tender and sweet. Was this what it felt like to be seduced? Was she doing it on purpose or was he just weak-minded? He really hoped there was more to it than that. Surely there was. He tried not to let his nerves show, focusing on the point she was trying to make. He didn't get it at all, but he could pretend. 

“Right… because your emphatic.”

“An  _ empath _ ,” she corrected with a mild chuckle, stroking along his newly soft waist. Even if he wouldn't say it, she knew how good it felt to him, and that pleasure in turn overflowed into her own psyche like water moving through a fountain from one basin to the next. She had to force herself to pull away, but his yearning for her touch was palpable, so much so that she couldn't tell if it was truly his desire or her own. Possibly both. “When you want, I want; when you're pleased, I am too. Being around you makes me feel content, so it really is just selfish of me to stay.”

“Are-” He paused, clearing his throat; she urged him to speak with her patient gaze. “Are you sure that it’s because of your power? That you feel that way?” There was a note of hopefulness in his voice that made her heart ache. This was so unfair to him. “Around me, I mean…?”

“To be honest,” she began with a timid smile, “no. I'm not really sure of anything right now.” His mild disappointment made her stomach turn; that wasn't the answer he'd wanted, but at least it was the truthful one. She at last owed him that.

“Well,” he began, rubbing the back of his neck, “I'd like to think it's because we're friends. Not because of some psychic crap.” He looked at her briefly before continuing. “It's not selfish to do things that make you feel good, and it’s not like you're hurting anyone by staying here. Least of all me.” He bit his lip in consideration, clearing his throat awkwardly. “Because I like havin’ you around, so... don't make things more complicated than they are.”

At first Meron was stunned silent, her eyes wide and lips parted as if to speak. No words came, and instead she shifted closer to wrap her arms around him. Her hands clasped between his shoulder blades as she pressed her forehead against his chest, squeezing around his lightly cushioned waist. Of course Rin was taken aback, his hands frozen in midair for a few brief seconds before settling aagainst her back. He nosed softly into her hair, enjoying her touch and her warmth and her vanilla-spice scent while he had the chance.

“You're too good,” she chuckled as she tilted her head up, her breath tickling over his neck. Why did it make her chest pound and her head spin? It wasn’t normal, how attached she found herself becoming. Was it really more than just the usual link? “I… don’t deserve this.”

Rin flustered, words fumbling on his tongue as he flexed his fingers against her body. “Hey, don't make a big deal out of it,” he mumbled half-heartedly, his cheeks feeling freshly warm. She was clinging so tightly, his softer form molding around hers like warm, malleable clay. The thought sent an odd tingle of excitement shooting down through his stomach. “It's not about deservin’ anything. You make really good food, okay?”

Meron snickered softly as she leaned back, and it made his heart flutter to see her smile so freely again. Still, her eyes were pensive as they took in his face: handsome and lovely, with such pretty blue eyes and subtly rounded cheeks. “Right. I guess I can't argue with that,” she agreed lightly, giving his chubby waist an affectionate squeeze that had him squirming in his spot. “But if you want me to hold back, just tell me. Or else this might get out of hand.”

It was with that remark that Rin finally hopped up after carefully detaching her hands from the subtle rolls at his sides. This was weird… right? Having her touch him like that, all while implying that he might keep gaining weight? What if he actually did get fat? Even weirder was the rush of blood it all sent pulsing southwards. He liked it a lot; he didn't want her to stop. That was the weirdest thing of all, and that was exactly why he had to be alone and recollect himself. 

“It's uh-” He paused to clear his throat as his voice cracked. “It's late… I'm really beat after all that so…”

“Right,” she replied sweetly, though there was a somber, maybe even puzzled glimmer in her eyes. “You should get some sleep. I'll be up if you need me.”

Awkwardly Rin nodded, hesitating before reaching out to pat her shoulder. Then he made his escape. At least he was honest though: he was exhausted, and he didn't waste any time changing into his pajamas, noting with a vague grimace how snug they felt around him, and crawling carefully into bed. As he began to doze off, he remembered Meron’s heartfelt embrace, and the absence of it made him feel suddenly cold. Grabbing a pillow and clutching it to his chest was no replacement, but it helped a little.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> At this point I can't tell if this is a kink fic or just a fluffy, silly romance with kink aspects thrown in lol. Either way I hope it's as fun for you to read as it is for me to write. Thanks as always, and I'll see you in a week!


	7. The New Girl

While Rin dozed soundly in bed Meron couldn't have felt more awake. After dark was always a restless time for her, and it wasn’t as if she needed to sleep in the first place. Besides that she was tense and confused by the mess she'd gotten herself into and the feelings that were taking root. That is, if they were truly her own original feelings to begin with and not just the aftermath of Rin’s, powerful as they were. Feelings she was sure she’d tricked him into having.

Twenty minutes of pacing around the confines of her bedroom was all she could take. Heaving a frustrated sigh between her teeth she decided that she had to find something to occupy her mind or she'd go crazy. She crept out of her room and started down the hallway, but before she knew it that familiar tug on her body took hold, like she was an obstinate puppy being dragged along on a leash. If she'd been aware of it in the first place, she might've  managed to break free and distract herself from Rin’s subconscious pull… but no. Without even realizing why, she'd ended up right outside his door, and now the magnetic sensation was far too strong to just walk away from, try as she might.

Her hand delicately grasped the knob, and she swallowed thickly as she nudged it open. The old hinges creaked solemnly as she peered in, easily finding Rin’s barely-pudgy shape amidst all of his blankets and pillows. Meron couldn't help but smile upon seeing his peaceful face, slightly obscured by his bedding as he snored softly, his mouth yawning open to reveal his pretty fangs and a shiny little trail of saliva on his lips. Her stomach churned as she clicked the door carefully shut behind her and stepped closer. 

_ Walk away, _ she demanded silently, to no avail.  _ Leave him be. _

In his arms he clutched a pillow, his rounded face half-buried in it as he twitched softly in his sleep. His tail flicked back and forth beneath the covers, a subtle sign of his mild discontent. It was easy for Meron to gather that he wanted more than just a pillow to hold; more importantly, he wanted to be held in return. She felt her mouth go dry, her fingers stroking up the gradually fading blend of his jawline and combing through his thick fringe. He didn't so much as flinch, out like a light _. _

It was sheer impulse when she coaxed the pillow out from between his arms, prompting his brows to twitch and furrow as he mumbled begrudgingly. Still fast asleep, but it made her pause timidly. Once he'd relaxed again she let the pillow flop on the floor and crawled under the covers to take its place. In the blink of an eye his arm coiled around her to hug her tightly to his soft body; a gasp of surprise hitched in her throat at the sudden closeness, his want washing over her in powerful waves. 

She couldn't help it, and she remembered her words from less than an hour ago:  _ “when you want, I want. When you’re pleased, I am too.”  _ It had never been like this before. The desires of humans had always been a neutral drudgery, a chore at worst or a game at best. This was so different, and it made her reconsider what he'd asked her. Whether it was really her power connecting them, or something more. Breathing softly through her lips, she dismissed her concerns, at least for the time being, and soaked in his warmth and his comfort. 

Her fingers ghosted along the pliant dome of his belly, making him shiver pleasantly and causing her to do the same. She let her palm press into the lower bulge of his little tummy, just barely starting to form, then trailed back down to where the elastic of his sweats cut into his doughy hips. If she had to guess, they might’ve been about a size too small, yet to be altered or replaced. She found that she didn’t want them to be, and instead pinched and stroked the bulging flesh as it oozed slightly out of its confines. 

Teeth caught her lip and pink warmth flooded her cheeks; he felt so good, and that only made her feel even worse. This wasn't right, was it? Wasn’t fair to him. Just a few minutes longer, until his desire ebbed to a bearable wavelength. Then she’d go back to her room.

* * *

 

Meron jolted awake when she heard a sharp gasp and felt tension around her, sunlight stinging her eyes as she snapped them open. She saw Rin’s face, burning red and wide-eyed, mouth agape without a single word escaping. A tiny yelp caught in her throat as she tried to scoot back on instinct. His arm, still heavy around her waist, stopped her from going too far, at least until he retracted it. They both sat up as quick as a snap, staring at each other and mirroring the same surprised, flustered expression.

“I'm sorry,” Meron blurted out before he could say anything. How had she fallen asleep? She never slept! Logic told her to get up and leave right away, but instinct forced her to stay. Shocked as Rin had been, he didn't want her to go. She could feel it. Still, he deserved an explanation. “I was up walking last night and I came to check on you… I was just going to hold you for a few minutes, but I-” She flushed deeply, averting her eyes and toying anxiously with her bangs. “... I didn't expect to fall asleep, but I guess you were just so…”

Rin perked a bit as she trailed off, his throat tightening as he swallowed. He cursed the flutter of hope in his chest and the twisting knot in his stomach. “So... what?”

She grit her teeth, fidgeting with the blankets and cursing her weakness; there was no choice but to appease his curiosity. “So  _ soft… _ and warm. Usually I'm too restless to sleep, but-... you’re just so comfortable.”

Rin stalled, his jaw dropping a bit as red flooded his face. Before he could manage a response there was a sharp knock at the door; of course it was Yukio. Shit, he did  _ not _ need to see Meron in his bed like this. In his panic Rin all but tackled her onto her back, burying her under his body and bedding just as Yukio made his abrupt entrance. A surprised squeak escaped her, only to be muffled as his pliant weight settled on her and forced her a bit deeper into the mattress. 

From an outside perspective it would've looked like he was still asleep, just rolled over on his stomach. On the inside Rin’s heart was hammering and Meron’s stomach fluttering as she was all but suffocated beneath him. Luckily they weren't forced to look each other in the eye as Rin’s soft chest bared down on her. If she’d been a human she might’ve been smothered, but as a sturdy demon she felt only bliss. Maybe not so lucky after all. It wasn't easy, but she managed to keep herself from digging her fingers into the pillowy swell of his starter belly as it squashed and yielded against her slimmer form.

“Rin?” Yukio started, sounding annoyed. Just as he was taking a step or two into the bedroom, the creak of the floorboards alerted Rin of his approach.

“I'm up,” he snapped, his voice cracking audibly. Meron could feel his voice vibrate in his chest and hear his heart hammering a mile a minute. “Just gimme a minute, jeez!”

They both heard Yukio sigh deeply. “Fine. Just don't go back to sleep.” He turned towards the door, casting a short glance over his shoulder. “Oh. And Meron?” They both froze, and Rin shifted uncomfortably on top of her. “I heard back from Mephisto this morning: he doesn't want you going unsupervised, so he's enrolled you in Rin’s class as a transfer student. I stopped by your room to give you the uniform he sent, but  _ clearly _ you weren't there. I left it on your bed… which I recommend you using from here on out.”

The door snapped curtly shut, and the two demons let out the anxious breaths they'd been holding. Rin lifted himself up onto his hands and knees, the shift of his weight making the bed springs squeak beneath him. “Sorry,” he mumbled sheepishly, but Meron was still in a daze, especially now that he was straddling her; the rise and fall of her chest was dramatic, her expression pinched in a way he couldn’t read. “Oh jeez, you’re not dead are you? D-did I crush you?!”

His mortified reaction snapped her back to reality, but did nothing to wash the heatwave from her face or the tension from her core. “N-no,” she choked out, trying not to think about how the bulge of his belly still skirted along the slender plane of her hips. Every impulse was screaming at her to grab him and yank him back down on top of her, but she kept the intrusive thoughts at bay. “You’re not  _ that _ big. I'm fine, I… just thought he'd be angrier.”

“Trust me, he is,” Rin chuckled nervously, then blinked owlishly as if just realizing the position they were still in. He reeled back and rolled off of her, tumbling gracelessly to the ground with a yelp and a loud thud against the wood floor. Meron sat up in a flash to make sure he was okay, smiling sheepishly when he gave her a brief thumbs up.

“I guess I should… go get dressed then.” It was just beginning to dawn on her what Yukio had said: she'd been enrolled at True Cross Academy. She'd be in the same class as Rin. Why did that excite her so much, the idea of being with him all day? Maybe it was just exciting not having to hide anymore, but she doubted that was the only thing making her so borderline giddy. She tried to shake the thought away as she got up and hurried to her room to put on her uniform.

Usually Meron just shape-shifted whatever clothes she needed, a simple illusion that was both visual and tangible, but she decided it was best to put on the real thing, just to be safe. She didn’t want to risk getting some small detail of the outfit wrong. So she willed away her ephemeral garments to replace them with the ones Yukio had laid out for her. That being said, getting dressed was an unnecessary task for her most days, and frankly it was a pain. 

Her blouse had so many buttons, and tying the bow properly around her neck proved to be harder than she’d expected, the knot turning out uneven and lumpy the first two attempts, but she got it close enough on the third. She was just relieved to have it all over with, hiking her stockings up over her knees and slipping on her glossy black shoes, making sure to keep her tail tucked around her leg for safety. As she descended the steps she realized Rin and Yukio were already dressed and waiting for her.

_ Don't look at her legs, don't look at her legs, don't look at her legs. _ Rin’s mantra did him little good; his eyes swept up and down her form and, obviously, he looked at her legs. She'd always worn comfortable, conservative clothes as far as he'd seen, so to see her in that cute skirt with her milky, shapely thighs exposed had him parched. He wished he could've slapped the blush from his face, but all he could do was wave dumbly. 

Apparently she didn’t share his affection for the getup. She kept fidgeting with the bow around her neck, the long sleeves of her blouse, and the hem of her miniskirt. Before Rin could question her disgruntled frown, she sighed and answered as if having read his mind. She basically had. “I feel ridiculous.”

“It looks good on you,” Rin blurted out in an attempt to ease her nerves, only to feel foolish as she blinked in surprise.

Whether he meant to or not, Yukio came to his rescue. “If you two don’t mind, we’re running late.” He clamped his hand around Rin’s arm and began dragging him out the door, and Meron jogged to catch up. In the brief moment out of earshot, Yukio hissed conspiratorially to his brother: “Don’t forget, she’s a demon. She’s dangerous.”

Rin rolled his eyes with a dull scoff, ripping his arm from his brother’s grasp and falling in step with Meron. The older twin didn’t say anything in return for her sake, but his glare did enough. Yukio sighed, his brows pinching in worry as he glanced between the two of them. How she could look so innocently unaware he had no idea. All he knew was that he didn't trust her with his brother’s feelings, and certainly not his body. He shrugged his shoulders stiffly, shaking any ill-gotten thoughts away before turning and leading the way off to school.

Needless to say Meron was quite a point of interest amongst the other students. It wasn't often someone just up-and transferred into True Cross Academy, especially with no warning. It was bizarre enough without her being attached at the hip to “Rin Okumura of all people.” Rumors were circulating by lunchtime, many speculating what ties she might have to him to be acting so “familiar.” A cousin? Childhood friend? Foreign lover? If there was one thing he was grateful for it was that she gave the nosy snobs something other than his increase in weight to gossip about.

During homeroom a few of his classmates came over to greet the new student. They even had the nerve to smile at him like he wasn't the black sheep of their peers, maybe even like they were pals. He didn't bother to return the gesture as they leaned against his desk to face her, glowering dully but reigning in his annoyance. 

She was reading through a textbook with a dubious expression, barely glancing up at the guy in the center as he cleared his throat pointedly. Even then her eyes flicked quickly back to the page, clearly disinterested in him. It didn’t help that she could feel Rin’s nerves flowing off of him in waves, and her foot began to tap impatiently.  _ Just go away. _

“Mori, right?” the stranger began simply. “Meiko Mori? Cute name.”

At first she didn’t register the human name Mephisto had assigned her, but when she did her jaw set softly, her eyes narrowing. She shut her book and looked him over dismally, wearing the coldest look Rin had ever seen on her face, second only to the glare she’d exchanged with Mephisto the night before. “I'm not interested.”

Rin couldn't help but snicker at her sharpness, then at the surprise on the guy’s face. Still, he recovered fairly quickly, masking his uncertainty with a grin. “Right, right,” the guy lilted with a dismissive wave of his hand. “You're just interested in the chubby degenerate. You two’re awfully  _ close _ , huh?” 

In the same instant that Rin’s face flushed to a deep, cherry pink, Meron’s brows descended dangerously at his accusation. “Excuse me?” she grated in such an icy tone that Rin shivered. Her pupils shrunk down to pinpricks, but her body language remained still and calm, like a panther waiting to strike.

“Should’a guessed by the way you've been hangin’ off of him like a drape. It's nauseating.”

“Funny,” she said as her bright eyes narrowed, her fangs glinting in a grimace. “I was about to say the same about you. Jealousy’s an ugly thing.”

The guy’s eyes blinked in annoyance as he looked between her and Rin. “Jealous of this punk? Don't flatter yourself. If you're settling on a blockhead like him, you can't be all that.”

She didn't even watch him go as she opened her book back up and pretended to skim over its pages. If she didn't keep her eyes busy she was bound to just stare at Rin… then again, the way his eyes bored into her she was finding it hard to ignore him. “Something wrong?” she asked, the frigid tone she'd had melting back into the usual kind, relaxed one he was familiar with.

“You didn't have to do that,” he grumbled with an awkward scratch of his head. “Havin’ a girl fight my battles is just…”

“He pissed me off,” she told him simply, the harsh wording and red flash in her pupils making him flinch in surprise. “I couldn't stand hearing him talk about you like that. I'm sorry, but I had to say something.”

As much as that caught him off guard, he couldn't help but feel his chest swell with the sentiment. It was as flattering as it was embarrassing. He smiled weakly, pink heat still lingering in his cheeks as his eyes softened. “Well… now they're definitely gonna think we're a couple.”

She shrugged, but he couldn't help noting a tiny hint of a smile on her lips as she kept her eyes pinned to the pages of her book. “Let them.”


	8. First Impressions

“Relax,” Rin assured Meron as they stood outside his classroom at the Cram School. “They're cool, I promise. They'll like you.”

Meron clearly wasn't convinced. A bead of sweat pickled on her cheek as she fidgeted with the bow around her neck, her brows pinched with worry. Having Rin as her chaperone meant going with him everywhere, and that included his Exorcist classes. If she'd caused a stir in a room full of normal students, she could only imagine the reactions of those training to slay her kind. She wondered if they already knew, or if they would even care; their own Headmaster was a Demon King, after all, and their classmate the son of Satan himself.

Taking a steadying breath, she nodded and tried to push down her fears. Really, there was nothing to be afraid of in the first place: they couldn't Exorcise her if they wanted to. She was protected. So why was her throat so tight? Why was her chest hammering away? Glancing at Rin, she could sense how much he wanted them to like her, and that made her hope for the same. That was why. She nodded to him, steeling her nerves as he swung the door open to allow her inside.

It wasn't surprising when they all stared at her. Some, like Kamiki and Shiemi, merely gawked in mild surprise; Suguro’s brow furrowed suspiciously, his arms crossing over his muscular chest; Shima’s eyes bugged and Konekomaru just fidgeted nervously in his seat. Meron’s hands clenched and unclenched stiffly at her sides as she gave a polite bow of her head in greeting. But she was silent, instead letting Rin, someone they liked and trusted, do the talking.

“Ah, hey guys,” he greeted casually, as if hadn't just brought a demon wearing their school uniform into their Exorcist class. And with no warning, apparently… hadn’t anyone filled them in yet? It was bizarre to say the least, and he knew it. But everything would be fine; if he played it off coolly, it'd put them at ease, right? “This is Meron.”

Suguro’s eyes narrowed, his shoulders tense. “That's all? No explanation necessary, I guess?” he asked, his tone low and grating as his eyes raked up and down her form, taking in her demonic features.

Rin laughed it off easily, or at least he made it look easy; Meron on the other hand looked ready to implode on herself due to sheer anxiety. “I figure the teachers already know, and they'll do a better job explaining than me.” Meron watched, amazed by how collected he was as he pulled a third chair up at the desk occupied by a cute, blonde girl. “It's cool if she shares our desk, right? She's supposed to stay near me.”

Shiemi looked between Rin and Meron, and it seemed as if gears were turning in her head but not quite kicking into full swing. She and Meron’s eyes met, and her face flushed with nerves. “Sure,” she squeaked suddenly, scooting over to make room at the desk for the extra chair.

Rin sat in the middle, which Meron was grateful for. Her skin was prickling with their scrutiny and their unspoken questions, her foot tapping and her hands clasping in her lap. It had been a better reaction than she'd expected, but that wasn't saying much. Just because they didn't necessarily fear her didn't mean they trusted her, let alone liked her. She was actually grateful when their instructor arrived, a senior Exorcist with fiery hair and violet eyes. The scantily-clad woman wasted no time in addressing the elephant in the room.

Sort of.

“You're all aware we have a guest in class,” she began in an even, albeit lazy tone, like this was just another drudging day for her. It probably was. “Get used to it. Until Mephisto decides otherwise she's attached to Rin at the hip. Now, let's get started.”

Rin and Meron were both visibly appalled by this lackadaisical approach. That didn't explain anything! Rin heaved a sigh, but he knew better than to try and broach the subject now. Instead he just focused on getting their story sorted, figuring out the best way to recap the last month or so. Naturally the second that class was over and they had a few minutes before the next began, the two demons were set upon by his classmates.

“You said you met a _girl_ ,” Suguro started gruffly from his seat near the back, drawing the rest of the class’s gaze. “Not a demon. Spill.”

Of course he'd been the one to put two and two together. Not that it was hard. “She's a girl and a demon,” Rin defended with a sheepish shrug and a shaky attempt at a grin. “It's not like I was lying. I just got her out of some trouble and then we hit it off… when Mephisto found out he said she could stick around.”

“As long as you keep her in line,” Suguro guessed, eyeing Meron again. “What makes him think a demon babysitting another demon is a good idea?”

“He considers it a social experiment. Something that he or The Order could stand to gain from,” Meron answered curtly, surprising everyone with her first words since arriving. She’d grown tired of being talked about as if she wasn't there, but didn’t dare look at any of them. “If I had to guess, he's testing Rin’s ability to ‘tame’ higher level demons. I'm the guinea pig, more or less.”

Rin flinched a bit at that; he didn’t exactly like her referring to herself as an experiment. Sure, she was a demon, but she at least deserved a little bit of respect. “The point is, she’s not dangerous. She’s been stayin’ with me for a month and-”

“ _Staying_ _with you_?” Oh crap. Of course Shima would jump on that. “You’ve had this girl _living_ with you for a month? That’s a lot of time alone together, isn’t it?”

It didn’t take a genius to know what he was insinuating. The two demons flushed darkly in unison, exchanging a nervous glance. Then her gaze pinned itself to the desk, her posture hunched with nerves. “I-It’s not like that,” Rin fumbled out, his tail lashing behind him. Getting defensive would just make him look guiltier. “She- I mean, we’re not… n-nothing happened!” 

Smooth. There was no way they’d buy that, even though it was true. After all, nothing had happened between them. At least not until that morning, when he’d woken up to her sleeping in his bed, trapped against his body by his own arms. And her arms had been around him too. He shook the thought away before his imagination could run with it, having managed to go all day without thinking too hard about her sleeping face or the feeling of her soft curves against his… uh. _Softer_ curves.

“I find that hard to believe,” Suguro huffed with a dubious pinch of his brows. “She’s a succubus, isn’t she? Their whole M.O is seducing humans to exploit them. Especially men. And you’re not exactly strong willed when it comes to certain _temptations_.”

As if his newly plush figure wasn’t evidence enough of that.

Before Rin could snap out a retort he paused, turning Suguro’s words over in his head. “Wait. How’d you know she was a succubus? I didn’t figure it out until Mephisto told me.”

“You’re also not very bright,” Suguro scoffed in deadpan response. “It’s obvious. If you actually paid attention in class, you’d know what to look for.”

Rin’s brow twitched in irritation, baring his fangs. Not that he had anything to say in return. Was it really that easy to tell? It just made him feel even more foolish for not figuring it out. He’d lived with her for a month, and Suguro knew within moments of looking at her, apparently. “Whatever. Either way she hasn’t tried to… _seduce_ _me_ ,” he grumbled out, almost too embarrassed to say it at all, especially with her sitting right fucking beside him.

“That you know of,” Shima chimed in with a little wink and a sly grin. “If anything she’s definitely seduced your stomach. She must be that admirer Koneko guessed at, right? The one who’s been fattening you up?”

The halfling nearly choked upon hearing that, feeling like he’d been hit in the face with a hot iron. Even if he’d had a snappy reply, he wouldn’t have had the chance to utter it. Meron had turned to face them now, whereas before she’d kept her gaze low and her body angled away. Despite her brave face, it still flushed softly as she twitched in her seat. “That wasn’t my intention,” she told them plainly, though her lips trembled under their cross-examination. “I only wanted him to be content.”

Shiemi seemed to perk up a bit upon hearing that, and when Meron finally turned away from the two boys and their interrogation she was startled to find the pretty blonde beaming at her from Rin’s opposite side. She tore her gaze away from the girl, her tail tightening in its coil around her leg and her teeth nibbling the inside of her cheek. What was that look for?

The conversation was forced to come to a close before anyone could truly get a final word in, the next class beginning a bit abruptly. At least their next instructor gave a more detailed recounting of Rin and Meron’s situation. Not that it eased the tension in the room much. Meron felt like her skin was burning under all the critical gazes and the unease in their auras. 

While Shima seemed casual enough on the surface, what with his playful taunting, he was still wary. At best he trusted Rin’s judgement, but didn’t necessarily want anything to do with her. Konekomaru and Suguro didn’t even try to disguise their apprehension, and Kamiki held a silent, mild disdain in her heart. (That might’ve just been her general mood though). The only two that seemed to truly accept her presence happily were Rin and Shiemi; the thought forced the succubus to glance at the girl, though she was thankfully too busy with her notes to notice. 

* * *

 

Meron felt relief wash over her when class was dismissed to take a short break before going to P.E, the first to shoot out of her seat and make a beeline for the door. But she remembered her place, her condition: she had to be supervised or her protection was forfeit. Mephisto’s cruel taunt rose to the surface of her memory: “ _like training an unruly pet.”_ What a tight leash. She waited as patiently as she could at the door, her fingers curling and uncurling at her sides as she watched Rin get up to his feet and stretch a bit, making the hem of his untucked shirt raise just so and reveal a strip of his minor muffin top.

She swallowed thickly, turning her gaze back to the handle until he came to her side. Then she was quick to push open the door and break away from the suffocation of his peers’ suspicious caution. It wasn’t that she resented them. All they saw was a demon, and a potential threat to their friend. Understanding their misgivings didn’t make them any easier to be around though. She had no idea how quickly she’d been moving down the hall and out to the courtyard until she felt Rin’s firm hand clasp around her elbow, all but forcing her to stop.

“Hey, slow down,” he urged, trying to disguise his concern with a mild note of annoyance. “You’re actin’ like the room was on fire.”

“It kind of felt like it,” she murmured in response, her gaze darting away. A shudder ran up her spine as his fingertips brushed down her arm when he released her. “I don’t blame them for not trusting me. But… I can feel it so strongly.” Breathing a long sigh to steady herself, she finally raised her eyes to meet his, if timidly. “It must be really nice, having that many people who care so much about you.”

His heart tensed in his chest, following his first instinct to bury his hands in his pockets before he was tempted to reach out to her again. “They’re… they’re okay, I guess,” he mumbled with a stiff shrug. “Anyway, they’ll come around. Trust me.”

She nodded without conviction, holding his gaze for a moment. Then she chuckled without a trace of humor, her hand reaching out to cup the soft bulge of his hip. He jolted, but didn’t have it in him to flinch back. “They think I did this to you on purpose,” she told him plainly, unable to resist the urge to carefully sink her fingers into the little pillow pad of flesh.  
  
Rin’s lips pursed nervously, one hand moving from his pocket to hold her wrist. But he didn’t drag her hand away. Maybe he even pushed her touch in more deeply, if subtly. “You didn’t ‘ _do_ ’ anythin’ to me,” he assured with an uncomfortable clear of his throat. “It’s… just a little weight. No big deal.”

Before she could share her opinion on the matter further, the two of them were interrupted by his class catching up. She took a sudden step back the second she sensed them approaching, detaching herself from him all but frantically; they already thought she was trying to take advantage of him somehow. The last thing she needed was to prove them right. Not if she wanted to stay with him.

Damn it. That was what she wanted, wasn’t it? It wasn’t just about being protected anymore, or even about the peace of mind their connection offered her. Not in the slightest. As much as she tried, she couldn’t will away the warmth in her cheeks upon realizing that fact. It was the first “desire” she had ever truly been able to pinpoint as her own, and the certainty of it was honestly kind of daunting. 

Despite her epiphany she managed to make it through the rest of the day without incident. The closest she got to making a fool of herself was during their gym class. She hadn’t been expected to participate in any of the activities, but she’d still been given a set of P.E clothes nonetheless. Being alone in the girls’ locker room with Kamiki and Shiemi had been uncomfortable to say the least, but it was over with quickly. Then she was all too eager to meet back up with Rin. He was the last to exit the boys’ locker room though.

When he finally did emerge it was obvious what had taken him so long. The once loose t-shirt he wore was one of his from home, so the fit was a bit snug but not too terrible. It did nothing to hide the way his standard, school-issued gym pants clung to his thighs and cut into the doughy width of his hips though. He made his way out hesitantly, fidgeting with the stretched fabric until he noticed her. At first he seemed embarrassed to have been caught struggling with his attire, but then he perked up a bit.

“Hey, Meron,” he whispered conspiratorially, taking his chance while his classmates were a few feet away and seemingly distracted. “Can you… uh. Do that thing? With my clothes?” A deep pink painted his cheeks at the unintended admission. “Like you did last time… they’re just kinda-”

“Snug,” she agreed with a small, sheepish chuckle. “Of course. If you don’t mind…” She trailed off, gingerly looping her fingers into the stretched waistband of the exercise pants, since they needed the most attention. Her unexpected touch made him twitch a bit upon feeling her cool, silky fingers against the pudgy flesh beneath. Having her skin trapped against his like that felt oddly intimate, but he kept his cool while she altered the garment, working quickly to try and avoid his peers’ attention.

The two separated once the fit of his pants was more bearable, and Rin offered an awkward thumbs-up before rejoining his classmates. She followed, but hung back a few feet to avoid suspicion. Still, she was close enough to hear Shima’s little jab: “That demon chick is really enabling you, huh?” Of course Rin flustered and bit back, if not just because he was annoyed at being caught in the act of letting her loosen up his too-small sweats. But his words made her take pause: enabling him?

She frowned softly. Was that what she was doing? Even if his steady weight gain wasn’t entirely her fault (though she was still on the fence about that) she certainly wasn’t doing anything to discourage it. If anything she almost felt like she was doing the opposite. Offering him food at even the slightest hint he might be hungry, allowing him to outgrow his clothes only to “fix” them for him… maybe she was an enabler after all. She wasn’t sure if that was better or worse than being a lowly temptress.

But was it really so bad? His soft cushion and thickening curves? How could anything that looked and felt so good possibly be negative? She almost didn’t catch herself thinking that, but she did and she hated it. Hated to admit just how much she really enjoyed the way he was filling out. That was selfish, wasn’t it? As if her thoughts weren’t already warring away madly in her head, the sight of Rin running, jumping and dodging down in the main pit of the gymnasium made her throat go painfully tight.

Every step had the swell of his belly bouncing and wobbling subtly under his t-shirt, his thick thighs brushing together as his soft, slightly rounded cheeks gradually turned pink. Whether it was from the exertion of his training or from the hyper-awareness of his body’s movements was up for debate. But he was _definitely_ aware of it. She could sense that much for sure. What she couldn’t decipher was just how he felt about it, as if he didn’t actually know himself. It wasn’t like him to have his emotions so muddled and unclear.

She was so enamored with his visual and with trying to decode his murky thoughts that she didn’t notice Shiemi join her, perched on the ledge that lead down into the pit below. Her focus was broken with the girl’s chipper, if somewhat timid voice, jolting a bit and turning her head to look her in the eye. “Meron, right?” she asked, smiling so earnestly that the succubus was taken aback. “I’m Shiemi Moriyama.”

Meron nodded politely, swallowing a lump in her throat. Had she been caught staring? Ogling, even? “Yeah,” she began, her voice cracking a bit as she folded her hands tightly in her lap. “Rin’s mentioned your name. He’s fond of you.”

Shiemi seemed surprised by this at first, but her smile never wavered. “He’s my best friend,” she chirped in explanation. Meron knew better though; yes, they were friends now, but there had been a time when he’d wanted to be more. He never said as much, but he didn’t have to. “You two must be close too. He seems to really like you. And you care about him a lot, right?”

The succubus’ jaw dropped just slightly, words failing her for a moment. “I-... he’s done a lot for me,” she began, attempting to dismiss any notion that Rin was anything more than her keeper. It was better for him that way. “So I feel as if I owe him.”

Shiemi seemed to take a moment to process this, blinking once or twice. “Is that it?” she asked mildly, though it was clear she was unconvinced. Then she smiled brightly again, undeterred. “Either way, he seems happy to have you around. So I’m happy too.” Meron was too stunned to respond, especially when the blonde grasped both her hands tightly. “Keep taking care of him, okay?”

Frankly, Meron was astonished, and all she could do at first was stare at Shiemi wide-eyed. Was her thought process really so simple? It must’ve been. The succubus was almost overwhelmed by the genuine, sweet glow of the girl’s presence. Finally she managed a weak, uncertain smile and nodded once. “I’ll try.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Eep, I almost missed this week's update. My bad! Sorry it's so late. ;(


	9. Adjustments

When the day finally came to an end, it was hard to say who was more relieved to be released: Meron or Rin. Still, he couldn’t help but notice how quiet she’d been on the way home, her expression thoughtful and her chin tilted slightly downward. Her fingers kept twitching anxiously at her sides, and by the time they reached the dorm building he couldn’t help but worry. “What’s with the gloomy face?” At first she didn’t respond, and his frown hardened a bit with a purse of his lips. “Is it because of the others bein’ weird?”

That seemed to make her perk up a bit, the two of them coming to a stop just outside the door to the dormitory. The porch lights glowed and flickered dimly, casting soft shadows over her face as she looked up to him. “No, that’s-... well. Maybe a bit. I’m just sorry I’ve made things so difficult for you...”

“Hey, it’s not your fault,” he reassured shakily, ignoring the stab in his chest upon seeing her go from simply thoughtful to solemn. “None’a this is. Besides, it’ll all blow over once they get to know you a bit better.”

She shrugged, seeming unconvinced as she watched him push open the door to allow her inside. “Maybe,” she murmured quietly as she reached up to undo the bow around her neck, eager to get out of the restricting uniform. “The only one that’s really okay with me being around is Shiemi.” That made Rin pause with an intrigued raise of his brows. Meron cleared her throat uncomfortably, glancing away. “She’s very trusting.” 

Rin hadn’t realized he’d followed her all the way to her room, only to stand in the doorway and watch her pull off her knitted vest and start to unbutton her blouse. Only when she processed his lingering presence did she stop and tug her collar back together to modestly cover her cleavage. He swallowed thickly at the brief insinuation and looked awayin as polite a manner as he could. Releasing a tired sigh, she sat herself down on her bed and combed through her bangs, apparently thinking better or her impulse to immediately change out of the foreign clothes. 

After a brief, uncomfortable pause she seemed willing to complete her prior thought. “At the very least, she’s a good person. Sweet, but maybe a bit naive... like you.”

Her soft smile took him aback, and he coughed lightly into his fist. “M’not really… but thanks, I think.” Rin shoved both hands into his pants pockets, shifting his weight from foot to foot. “So you think you’ll stick around?” If only he could've forced himself not to sound so nervous.

Meron blinked in surprise, her lips parting curiously. “Why wouldn’t I?” Despite all her concerns for him and what role (negative or positive) she was playing in his life, she hadn’t even considered leaving. Not seriously, anyway. Maybe that spoke poorly of her though. She almost felt as if she couldn’t go, even if she wanted to.

He paused, seeming to consider his answer. “I dunno… I just got the vibe that they were makin’ you feel bad.” Pink glowed in his cheeks as he gripped a bit of his soft belly through his crisp, white shirt and rolled it in his hands; the sensation made him shiver. “About this. Like I said, it’s not your fault.” He truly believed that too, and he wasn’t even sure if he really even minded the extra padding. Sure, having them poke fun at him was annoying, but it was almost… exhilarating at the same time. That was just too weird for him to think about though.

Meron could pick up on those vague, suppressed feelings of excitement and intrigue nonetheless. They were just so heavily masked by his nerves and confusion that it made it a bit difficult to understand, like a conversation on the phone garbled by static. The message was just barely coming through. Part of him liked it: leaving behind the impoverished, scrawny kid he’d once been. It left him with an odd kind of contentment, being able to eat as much as he wanted and slowly pack on the pounds, and that just made it harder for her to resist helping him along. 

Meron smiled softly, nodding her understanding as she pushed the notion aside. “You really are hard to resist,” she chuckled, brushing a bit of hair behind the sharp curve of her ear as warmth lit up her light dusting of freckles.

“Don’t say shit like that. It’s embarrassing,” he grumbled, his fingers twitching back into his pockets as he gently kicked at nothing. The mild annoyance in his eyes ebbed a bit as she chuckled apologetically. Still unwilling to look at her, he took an antsy glance around her room, then to the clean, crisp sheets on her bed; it looked like it had never even been unmade. “Do you seriously never sleep?” When she shook her head, her expression expectantly puzzled, he furrowed his brow. “What do you do all night then?”

Mirai shrugged, scratching her wrist beneath the cotton cuff of her blouse. The fabric felt so itchy compared to her usual, illusory clothes and she wanted it off. Her nerves probably weren’t helping, already knowing where this conversation was headed. “Chores, usually. Or I’ll read, or play with Kuro if he’s up.”

“And last night?”

Meron’s lips pursed tightly. “I really am sorry,” she blurted out immediately, a guilty warmth flickering to life in her cheeks. Really, she was just avoiding answering his question. There was no excuse for her behavior. “I was just out walking and-”

“It’s okay,” he cut in, swallowing thickly as he realized the mild panic beginning to rise in her voice. “I-... it’s not a big deal. It was actually kind of nice… wakin’ up with someone.” He crossed his arms tightly, attempting to lean casually against the doorframe as he ignored his twitching nerves and heated flush. His teeth gnawed mildly at the inside of his cheek. “I’ve never had that before.”

Meron felt her breath go still along with the thudding of her heart, just for a split second. Her first instinct was to agree and offer him the same courtesy that night. To hold him, and to be held in return. As if Yukio’s disapproval wasn’t enough to dissuade her, the unease in her chest did the rest of the work. It wasn't real; his feelings were just an illusion, and therefore not to be taken advantage of. Not this time. 

“I’m just glad you aren’t upset.” 

That was all she could manage to say for the time being. 

* * *

“I could always just make these ingredients,” Meron pointed out as she read over the shopping list Rin had asked her to hold onto. Despite the remark, she didn’t mind running errands with him; she actually liked being able to see the town after over a month of near isolation Her protected status had been in effect for almost two weeks now, and she was still getting used to the freedom, and all the crowds that came along with it. As long as she kept close to him it wasn’t too bad.

“Yukio was griping about how we shouldn’t be ‘profiting’ off a demon’s powers, or whatever,” Rin grumbled dully, rolling his shoulders. “This is just to keep him from naggin’ at me.”

“So… I’m not to use my powers at all?” she asked dubiously, raising a brow at him. That’d be… extremely difficult. Between Rin’s appetite, his cravings, and his thickening waistline, how was she to avoid it? It’d be like trying to hold her breath too long: sooner or later she’d break and go gasping for air.

Rin shrugged stiffly, his hands stuffing deeper inside his hoodie pockets. It was looking a little taut around his belly, despite the fact that he’d kind of worn it to hide that fact in the first place. He couldn’t help wondering if he’d managed to gain more weight, though he hadn’t had the courage to go and put a number on it yet. He’d never even needed the scale in his room before, and now that he did he was too nervous to use it.  _ Just don’t think about it. _

“Nah,” he answered plainly, “I’m sure it’s fine. Maybe just don’t do it when he’s around.”

Meron nodded, folding the list neatly and putting it in the shallow pocket of her cardigan. “Right.” Before she could joke about Yukio’s strictness, she suddenly felt hard gazes on her from somewhere in the swirling swarms of people. Her eyes searched for the culprits without her permission, and she was quick to find a group of Exorcists watching them both cautiously from across the street. Just as her heart began to hammer nervously in her throat, her arm instinctively reached to loop around Rin’s, both hands clutching his sleeve like a lifeline.

The second she made contact all the white noise fled from her mind. All she sensed was his neutral assurance and stable presence. His comfort. Still, her hold drew his gaze and prompted a tiny grunt of surprise from him. Before he could begin to scold or question her unexpected closeness, he found who she was looking at. His eyes narrowed, fangs bared just slightly as tension knotted in his muscles. As if picking up on her unease he removed his hand from his pocket and dislodged her grip, only to wrap his arm firmly around her until they were well out of range of the Exorcists. Even then he didn’t let go; his grip just loosened, his arm draped comfortably over her shoulders.

“They can’t mess with you,” he assured her, quiet enough that nobody but her would hear him. “I won’t let them. So relax, okay?” He wasn’t satisfied until he saw her nod, smiling down at her just as he realized how close she was. Their hips brushed, her arm rubbing against his pudgy waistline as she fought the urge to wrap it around him. It made him tense, but noticing that she didn’t seem to mind kept him from jumping away and making lame excuses. Only when they reached the store did he finally release her, if hesitantly.

Sticking to the list was harder than usual. As Rin wandered about the store to pick up everything he needed, he found himself distracted and tempted by the large selection of snacks and treats. It just made him realize anew just how much time he spent thinking about food those days. And how much time he spent eating. He really had become a glutton, huh? The thought made him swallow thickly, his hands tensing in his hoodie pockets and secretively pressing against the soft bulge of his belly through the fabric. He must’ve gained close to twenty or even thirty pounds by then...

“It wouldn’t be hard for me to make this stuff,” Meron offered casually, sensing every time his gaze was drawn by some form of candy or junk food. “Since we’re on a budget, I mean. I’m sure Yukio would be more annoyed by us overspending than by me making snacks for you.”

Rin chuckled softly in reply, a bit embarrassed to have been caught in his thoughts like that. Not that it was surprising. He was mostly used to her ability to read him like a book, but it was still unnerving from time to time, especially when his “desires” had little or nothing to do with food. Could she read that too? Of course she could. It just made him feel even more like a creep. “Y-yeah, good point,” he told her, his voice cracking a bit as he tried to dismiss that thought.

Meron took note of everything that seemed to catch Rin’s eye, making a catalogue of potential treats to surprise him with. No matter what she thought on the morality of the matter, she couldn’t help but spoil him, and it showed. But he was aware of it by then, and although he might’ve gotten flustered about his altered eating habits from time to time, that never seemed to slow him down or truly deter him from indulging.  _ At this rate it won’t be long before I have to fix your uniform again... _

She hadn’t realized she’d said this out loud until she noticed him stop in his tracks and fall a few steps behind her; her hand clapped over her mouth as if that could put the words back inside. She spun on her heel to face him, marvelling at just how pink he’d turned. His flushed face was so preciously rounded, his softened jawline just beginning to blend into his neck. He shifted his weight from foot to foot, but that just made his chubby thighs rub tightly together. 

It was too cute. 

She desperately tried to shake the thought. “I didn’t mean…!”

“It’s fine,” he mumbled, nibbling at his lip and avoiding her eyes for a moment. “I mean… you’re not wrong, anyway. I have gotten kinda heavy.” His voice strained halfway through that last remark; why did a weird sense of pride well up in his chest upon saying that? He shouldn’t be bragging about getting fat! “And anyway… I dunno if I want you fixin’ my clothes anymore.”

Meron raised a brow, surprised at the turn this had taken. At least the store was mostly empty, so she didn’t have to worry about embarrassing him or threatening his privacy by talking about it openly. She still hesitated, if not just because of her own discomfort. “But-...”

“If it’s that easy then I’m just gonna keep gaining weight,” he muttered, his admission begrudging as he combed through and gripped the hair at the back of his head nervously. “I need somethin’ to motivate me to lose it, don’t I?”

He didn’t want to lose it though, even if he was too stubborn (or just too unaware) to admit it. While she understood the logic behind his explanation, Meron wasn’t entirely convinced how solid a plan it was. Then she remembered what Shima had said after he’d caught her altering his clothes the last time. “Afraid I’m ‘enabling’ you?” she asked with a weakly humored smile. His stunned silence only confirmed that was exactly what had prompted this decision. “I understand. I won’t mess with your clothes anymore. I promise.”

He nodded belligerently, unable to disguise his mild pout. “Fine then. Let’s get this over with and head back… we’re just about finished with the list, and I’m gettin’ hungry.”  _ Getting _ had nothing to do with it; he’d  _ been _ hungry. He almost always was. As if to confirm as much his stomach rumbled dully, prompting Meron to laugh a little and offer a soothing stroke through the thick fabric of his jacket.

“Can’t have that, can we?” she asked with a timid smile, noting the way he held his breath until she retracted her hand; even then it was a bit shaky as it whispered past his lips. 

* * *

She wasn’t sure what made him think teaching her to cook was a good idea. Honestly, she just enjoyed watching him do it rather than attempting to meddle. It was mesmerizing to see him so focused on every task, but happily so. From chopping vegetables to searing meat, it seemed as natural to him as breathing. She, on the other hand, was hardly graceful in the kitchen. Within twenty minutes she’d managed to cut her hand on a knife, and nearly burned the noodles for their yakisoba.

The cut had healed itself almost instantly, so she was much more concerned with ruining his dinner. “I’m sorry,” she repeated as he saved the day, taking the noodles off the burner and giving them a stir with some more sauce in hopes to revive them. “I told you I’m no good.”

“That’s because you just started,” he eased with a reassuring smile, clicking the burner down to a lower setting before putting the pan back down on it. “You won’t get it right away. I didn’t.”

At first she just pouted a bit, mostly because it felt like a waste of his time. It wasn’t like she had any use for cooking, but he’d insisted. “It would turn out better if you did it without me,” she offered with a nervous tug of her hair, smiling weakly. “I’ll just mess it up.”

He rolled his eyes softly, shaking his head. “That doesn’t matter,” he told her without missing a beat, his eyes intent on his current job of stir-frying noodles before adding in the meat and veggies they’d prepped. “It’s kinda nice to be the one teachin’ something for once.” He glanced at her sideways, chewing the inside of his lip for a moment before continuing. “Besides, cooking is more fun when you have someone to enjoy it with. It makes the food better, even if it isn’t perfect.”

Meron eyed him softly, his words stirring a soft flutter in her chest. She tried to laugh it off casually. “You sound like a bad greeting card,” she teased with a little nudge of her elbow to his waist, making him jolt at the contact. He grumbled something indistinct, warmth rising to the surface of his cheeks. “... Doesn’t Yukio ever cook with you?”

At that Rin nearly choked on his own snort of laughter. “Four-Eyes? Hell no. If you think you’re having a hard time, he’s a total trainwreck in the kitchen.” He grinned devilishly, giving the handle a skilled flick to toss the ingredients lightly in the air and catch them back in the pan. “Mr. Perfect’s not so great after all, huh?”

“I’d hardly call him perfect,” Meron chimed in, charmed by the way the meal sizzled and steamed in the pan, the smell wafting tantalizingly in the air. He really was impressive. “Nobody is.”

Rin scratched the back of his head idly as he considered that, pursing his lips. “Guess not… I thought you were pretty perfect until you almost set the kitchen on fire,” he laughed playfully, giving her a little shove with his hip. She stumbled more than he’d expected, but he wasn’t sure if it was because of his extra bulk or his unruly strength. Probably both.

He dropped the skillet onto the burner and managed to catch her by the elbow, pulling her steady just before she could trip on her own feet. That just made her collide into him. On instinct his other arm fell to her hip to balance her against his body, meanwhile holding her close. Maybe too close. He held his breath, feeling her form mold into his, and vice versa; their hips were aligned, her chest pressed tightly to his abdomen and her arms trapped against him, hands practically cupping his slightly soft pectorals. They locked eyes, hers wide and glittering, haloed by thick lashes as her lips parted to try and speak.

“S-sorry,” he cut in abruptly, taking a step back and fumbling with the knobs on the stovetop to shut it off. His rounded cheeks were positively burning, hands fidgeting and pretending to straighten out the snug fabric of his t-shirt. “Dinner’s pretty much ready. I’ll go get Yukio, so can you set the table?”

She didn’t get a chance to answer before he dashed away, leaving her to swallow thickly as she watched him go. Rather than give herself time to think about the flurry of emotions that had flowed off of him in waves, she busied herself gathering dishes and cutlery, just like he’d asked her to. By the time he came back, seemingly collected (on the surface anyway) they both managed to get through dinner as if nothing had happened.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just some fluff and a few hints at some kink realization. Hope it was worth the wait! Things should be picking up in the spicy department soon enough. ;3


	10. Entwined

Another week or so had flown by since their blunder in the kitchen, and since then Rin had expressed more than once his concern for her nocturnal habits. He just didn’t like the idea of her being up all night all by herself. Finally she’d given in to his suggestion of a late night excursion, despite breaking curfew. He’d brought it up at least three separate evenings after dinner, and she couldn’t deny the appeal. So she caved. 

Clearly he already had a place in mind, and she was more than happy to let him have his fun and surprise her. “It’s nothin’ much,” he informed her casually as they snuck out the front door, Yukio already having retired for the night. “But I think you’ll like it.” He didn’t give much more explanation than that as he lead her along, but she was content to follow without question. 

The park was deserted when they arrived, nightfall having already sent children and families on their way home. It was peaceful, the air pleasantly cool as the two demons walked alongside each other to weave around the different playsets. “Why here?” she asked curiously, not that she was disappointed. The fresh air and moonlit scenery were more than enough to please her, and there were so few people out at such an hour. Nobody to distract or unnerve her.

“I figured you’d like somewhere without a lot’a people. Because of your… thing,” he answered simply, sitting himself down on a swing only to squirm a bit uncomfortably. His bulky hips made it a tight fit, his backside practically oozing off of the flat seat. He felt pinched and squeezed in the spot, but his pride kept him in place for the time being, just hoping she wouldn’t notice his discomfort; he’d fit just fine a month ago. “It’s a good spot to clear your head a bit.”

Meron nodded, taking the swing beside him and pushing against the ground with her feet to get herself moving, just slightly. She forced herself not to look at the indentations of the swing against his chubby thighs and bulging hips, trapped under fitted denim. Once again he’d opted to try and hide beneath his pullover hoodie, but that still didn’t hide the swell of his soft belly in his lap. If anything the layers just made him look marginally bigger. At least the chilly air was enough of an excuse for him to wear it.

“I see,” she hummed, looking up at the inky sky to watch dark clouds skirt across and obscure the stars. “That was considerate of you.”

“Not really,” he argued weakly, rocking in his swing just to keep his fidgety muscles occupied. “It seemed obvious. You said you’re drawn to people, but I get the feelin’ they make you nervous.”

Her eyes fell, half-lidded as she came to a stop. “Maybe not nervous,” she told him, pausing to try and sort her thoughts. He looked at her expectantly, and she could feel his curiosity like an itch under her skin. “Humans are really amazing. And really complicated. They’re always thinking and feeling so many different things at once. It can be a lot to take in.”

“Sounds tiring.” A long pause of silence passed, and he grit his teeth in frustration. Real smooth. “But you said being around me makes it better, right? Like… you don't have to hear it all now? And the things you feel are more-… I dunno.  _ You _ , I guess?” He watched her nod, noting the little smile and warm flush creep up on her face; against his will he found himself smiling too. “I’m glad. Is… is that what you meant? When you told Mephisto about feeling human?”

Part of her had hoped he’d forgotten that exchange altogether, especially when it felt so long ago. It had been silly of her to say, and it sounded even sillier when repeated back to her. With a groan, one hand rubbed tiredly over the bridge of her nose. “More or less. I know, it’s stupid.” His brows pinched together quizzically, begging the question without him even needing to verbalize it:  _ why is that stupid? _ “He was right. At the end of the day I am what I am. It’s just been nice playing make believe for a while.”

“People are always tellin’ me what I am or what I’m supposed to be,” Rin contradicted, setting his jaw. A ragged huff escaped him as he kicked at the dirt underneath his feet. “Only you can decide that shit though. Not a bunch of assholes who know nothin’ about you.”

At first she didn’t answer, just stared long and hard into his eyes. The prolonged eye contact made him shiver with anticipation, but he managed to hold her gaze steadily without crumbling. Then she smiled, though it looked forced. “You should make motivational posters,” she chuckled in some weak attempt to break the tension. “Maybe cut the language a bit, add in some cat pictures…”

“I’m bein’ serious,” he grunted dismally, stumbling slightly as he hauled himself up out of his swing. “That dumbass clown’s shitty opinion shouldn’t control your life.”

It was awfully bold of him to talk about a Demon King that way. Then again, he did boast the ambition of “kicking Satan’s ass,” so it shouldn’t have been surprising. Against all odds, she found herself wondering if he might be right. “If you say so,” she told him in a placating tone, just so he wouldn’t continue worrying about her. She hopped up from her swing, deciding it best to lighten the mood as she headed for the monkey bars and climbed up to grab hold of them and starting swinging from one bar to the next.

Rin watched her move with ease from below, trying not to think too hard about the leggings on underneath her long-sleeved dress, and the embarrassment they’d probably saved him. Maybe it was just to avoid that thought altogether when he climbed up too, and with very little effort, to start at the opposite end. One thing he’d noticed over the last few weeks was that, despite his heavier physique, he had no more trouble with physical tasks than he ever had before. His physical abilities seemed to be one of the few things that had remained constant, actually. Maybe that was part of why he’d gone so long without noticing. He probably had his demon half to thank for that.

He dangled from the bar directly in front of her, having planned his course of action to cut off her path and grin playfully. His tail wagged as it hung limply behind him. “Can’t run away now,” he taunted lightly as he blocked her. 

She tried not to focus on how the raise of his arms lifted the hem of his hoodie, showing off a bit of his pudgy tummy as it hid the strained waistband of his jeans. “Who said I was running?” Her tone was brave, but it was unnerving to realize how on the mark he’d been.

He paused, taking in her features as moonlight reflected off her pale skin and mint-green iris’. His jaw set, a nervous swell overtaking his chest and pushing up into his throat. If he was honest, he was just as guilty of running, just like after that accidental embrace in the kitchen. He wasn’t always great at understanding people, least of all women… but she hadn’t fought against it, or him. But did that really mean anything? Maybe he was just afraid that all her affections really were just some demon instinct, like a subconscious command from her so-called “Prince.” An obligation she had no choice but to obey. 

The notion made him feel a bit queasy. “I can never tell what you’re thinkin’,” he mused under his breath with a weak smile, his fangs glinting in the moonlight. “Must be nice, always knowing what’s goin’ on in my head.”

“You’d be sur-” Her breath hitched just slightly, her brows pinching softly together. A gentle haze had taken over her eyes, her lips parting and trembling. Rosy pink warmth dyed her speckled cheeks, spreading up her ears and across the bridge of her nose. She swallowed thickly, but couldn’t seem to find her words.

It wasn’t until Rin felt tingling static run up and down his spine that he realized the cause behind her sudden, odd state: their tails had twined together, the smooth surface of hers rubbing in tandem against his fluffier one. The sensation made his mouth go dry and heat pool in his cheeks. And other places. Their two appendages coiled together tightly, and the way her expression pinched was so adorably pitiful. He knew demons’ tails were their “weak points,” but this…?

“Rin,” she breathed, his name a shaky, pitched whisper on her lips. “That’s-... a bit close.” If she was honest she wasn’t certain he was the one to blame. For all she knew she’d been the one to initiate this, her judgement clouded by his carnal urges. It didn’t matter either way; she pulled her tail from his, but the soft fur brushing against the sensitive skin there still made her shudder, clamping her throat shut just to repress any unbecoming sounds.

The gears in Rin’s brain took a moment to sputter back to life and start turning, too caught up in the pleasurable sensation, then in her pretty face and needy voice. In an instant it hit him, and he felt white-hot warmth slap across his face as he fumbled down from the monkey bars, barely saving himself from landing flat on his ass in his desperate rush. He was an idiot, sure, but he knew in his gut what it was that they’d been feeling. Maybe it was instinct, but it was most likely the intrigued twitch of his dick that clued him in.

“I-I didn’t mean to-!” he choked, his thighs clenching protectively together. “I’m sorry, I didn’t know!”

Meron stumbled a bit as she reached the ground, her knees knocking slightly as she brushed her bangs from her face. She shifted from foot to foot, her fingers curling into the fabric of her dress and fidgeting a bit. “It’s fine,” she assured him, doing her best to will away the feelings that brief, accidental intimacy had conjured in her heart. Her heart, and places much deeper than that. “I wouldn’t expect you to know much about how demons… mate.”

Rin stuttered foolishly, no real words quite managing to form.  _ Mate? _ Demons  _ mated _ ? Well. He guessed they had to in some way or another. After all, he was living, breathing proof of that. Still, the blunt wording had him flustered, as if that warm, fuzzy feeling stirring in his core wasn’t doing a good enough job of that. “I wasn’t trying to-”

“Forget about it.” She bit her lip, trying to force her tone to be even as her tail returned to its safe coil around her thigh. “It was an accident.” It wasn’t. Not on his part  _ or _ hers. The difference was that she knew better. He couldn’t be blamed for his instincts getting the better of him, after all. Especially not when her influence was swaying him. It was her fault. “We should get back to the dorms, before Yukio realizes we left.”

At first Rin hesitated; was she angry with him? If she was he couldn't say he blamed her. That probably counted as some kind of harassment, didn't it? He bowed his head, giving the tiniest of nods as he fisted his hands in his hoodie pockets. For good measure, he tucked his tail up into his shirt to wrap around his body, only to note how he used to be able to loop its length two or three times; now it was about one and a half,  _ tops _ . “Good idea,” he agreed, his voice sounding choked by nerves as he took the lead back to the dorm rooms.

His anxiety was palpable. No matter how hard Meron tried to ignore it, it nagged and buzzed in her mind, making stabs of guilt flare up in her chest. “I'm not upset,” she assured him genuinely, catching up to carefully grasp his wrist. He stiffened a bit at first, his pace stalling as he raised a brow at her, barely looking down out of the corner of his eye. “Really. It just… I was embarrassed, that's all.”

That managed to crack a weak grin on his face, his hand retracting from his pocket to tangle their fingers together.  _ She _ was embarrassed? He guessed he would've been too, if he'd reacted so…  _ like that _ . But it had been cute, he thought shamefully. Maybe more than cute, but he wasn’t willing to entertain the thought. “That's funny,” he told her, giving her delicate hand a careful squeeze. “Usually you're the one doin’ that to me.”

Like she needed him to tell her that. She chuckled regardless, enjoying the warmth of his palm around hers as she fell into step with him. “I guess we can call it even then,” she reasoned quietly, her thumb subconsciously rubbing over his knuckles. They were slightly rough from battle and training; it felt nice, a good contrast to her own silky skin. 

The walk back to the dormitory was comfortably quiet, but once there Meron found herself torn. She knew she should leave him be and call it a night. On the other hand she could feel the request burning in his mind, the one he hadn't quite found the bravery to ask of her. It had been there every night since they'd woken up together though. It was just so powerful that time, and she couldn't help but respond as if he'd verbalized it. “Yukio wouldn't approve,” she blurted out, catching the both of them by surprise. “Sorry. I wasn't trying to pry, I just-...”

“I know,” he sighed raggedly, but the deep flush in his cheeks wasn't dissuaded. When would he learn to keep his head on straight around her? She must've thought he was a total jerk. “You can't help it. Anyway, you don't have to make excuses. It won’t hurt my feelings or anything.”

_ Excuses _ ? “That's not it,” she insisted, but he wouldn't look at her; his eyes nervously darted away when she tried to meet them. “I just don't want you getting in trouble because of me. But… you did sleep really well then. I don't mind doing that for you.”

But he wanted it to be for  _ her _ too. “Yukio won't know if you're back in your room before he gets up.” He shuffled his feet, rubbing the back of his neck roughly. That sounded sneaky, didn't it? “Besides, I'm basically an adult. He's not the boss’a me.”

“He seems to think otherwise,” she pointed out with a light sigh. Still, she couldn't deny the appeal. “Alright. Just until you fall asleep, then I'll go.” This time she promised herself she'd stay awake and alert.

Rin was as pleased with that as he could've been, his chest giving a giddy little squeeze as she followed him back to his room. She shut the door behind them, sitting herself down on his bed. Glittering smoke curled around her slender shape as the cut of her clothes changed from a dress and leggings to a cute, but modest nightgown. Right. He should change too. He gulped, starting to tug his hoodie up over his head. He tried to ignore how it pulled the hem of his shirt up with it.

“Don't watch,” he grunted under his breath as he turned his back to her. He waited until she promised not to before stripping off his t-shirt completely and fumbling clumsily with the button of his jeans. A gruff sigh escaped him at the mild relief, noting the angry, sensitive indentations the fastening and seams had left in his skin. After stumbling in the dark for a moment he found some sweats and a clean t-shirt, pulling them on quickly. When he turned he was thankful to find her hands politely covering her eyes.

It had taken all her willpower not to sneak a peek of his full figure through her fingers. She could imagine it though: his thick thighs rubbing together as he shuffled about the room; the milky, pliant flesh of his love handles bulging over the elastic of his boxers; his full, rounded backside straining the fabric and his belly spilling forward while he leaned to step into and pull up his sweats. The mental images dried out her mouth and turned her face hot beneath the cool skin of her hands, a tight knot forming in the pit of her stomach. When he spoke up she twitched a bit, her train of thought thankfully derailed.

“Okay, you can look now,” he said as he plopped himself down on the bed beside her, bouncing her a bit and forcing the springs to whine softly under his added bulk. The sound made him wince, but he dismissed it as he started to stretch out on the mattress with a wide, toothy yawn. He groped around for the blanket for a moment until Meron beat him to it, tugging it up over the both of them as she carefully slid in beside him. Although his heart hammered wildly, it didn’t dissuade him from starting to wrap his arm around her.

“Wait,” she murmured, her hand pressing against his chest and giving it an apologetic stroke. “I-... I don’t want to risk falling asleep again. And if you hold me like that…” She trailed off, brushing a bit of soft, pink hair out of her face as he quirked a brow at her. It wasn’t just a matter of her falling asleep either; by that point, she wasn’t sure she trusted herself not to lose control. Not with his lust and hers tangling together so intensely in her mind.

Rin swallowed thickly, but gave an understanding nod. Understanding, but maybe a bit disappointed. Nonetheless he rolled over so his back faced her. Shit. Was he really gonna be the little spoon to a girl...? Despite his reservations, he found he didn’t mind it at all; as she pressed her form into him, he shuddered at the softness of her breasts molding against his spine as she draped her arms (albeit a bit awkwardly) over his shoulders. Her pelvis aligned to his rear, trapping his tail between their bodies as their legs twined together.

“Is this okay?” he asked, his voice choked as he forced an abrupt clear of his throat. “I mean. Are you comfortable?” It felt odd to have her arms placed where they were, reaching over his upper body rather than curling around his waist. Despite feeling her nod between his shoulder blades, he acted on his impulse to take her hand and guide it lower, until her forearm was tucked between his midsection and bicep. “Th-this is probably better...”

She hesitated, if only to collect herself as she felt the pillowy flesh sink and squish under the pressure, her hand twitching as she resisted the urge to grab and squeeze greedy handfuls of him. “I didn’t think- I mean. I didn’t want to-...”

“It’s fine,” he cut in, his voice a gruff mumble as he fought the tension in his chest and his core. “I don’t mind.” 

_ I like it when you touch me that way. _

Meron heard that as clearly as if he’d said it out loud. It made her heart pound and her breath hitch silently, and only then did she allow the slightest dip of her fingertips into his densely soft belly. That minor press made him shudder, his legs squirming a bit… but not in discomfort. He wanted her to keep going. She couldn’t help it: she pressed again, this time gathering a little roll of the extra flesh and pinching it between her thumb and fingers, her arm squeezing more tightly around him. “Like warm mochi,” she mused breathlessly, hardly realizing she’d said it aloud.

Those words, so similar to whispering sweet nothings, just made him shiver again, as if her experimental touches weren’t already making him melt and writhe. It shouldn’t feel that good… her playing with his fat gut like that. But it did. It sent electrifying jolts through his spine and between his legs, and her breath on his neck just made it all the more intimate. He squeezed his eyes shut, jaw clenching to bite back any possible, pitiable noise he might make as his hand moved to cup hers, encouraging and guiding her touches.

If it felt that good through his shirt he could only wonder what it would feel like with her cool, soft palms pressing and toying directly against the doughy flesh of his stomach. He swallowed a tight dryness in his throat, employing all his willpower to keep his hips from rocking. Fuck, what kind of pervert was he? When had he gotten so weird? Or was he always like this, somewhere deep in his subconscious? It was hard not to think about her ability to read his every want and passing thought.

“This is keeping you awake.” He blinked his eyes open, surprised when he felt her lips brush the shell of his ear, though it hadn’t been her intention. She’d shifted just enough to lean over him from behind, and when he turned his head to face her, her glimmering eyes and flushed cheeks were hovering less than an inch away from his. “Should I-?”

“No,” he practically panted out, desperate for her to stay. Had he grossed her out? She didn’t  _ seem _ bothered, at least. Just concerned for him, like she always was. But what about her? “I-it’s fine.”

_ Don’t go. _

Her lips pursed dubiously, but she nodded. He was so touch-starved that it pained her to feel, even if it was just secondhand. Nobody had ever been so delicate and openly affectionate with him before. Not like this. And he needed it so badly that she simply couldn’t deny him. She laid back down on her side with her arm still snug around his waist. But her hand was loose and relaxed, petting the round swell of his gut. 

“You need to sleep,” she insisted, pleased to find that this tactic had a much more… lulling effect than her first attempt.

The nervous, wanting tension in his body ebbed, though the glowing warmth remained. That felt good too. Totally different, innocent and tender, but still good. He offered a single nod, letting his head sink comfortably into the pillow as his eyes slipped closed. “G’night, Meron,” he mumbled, fighting back a yawn until he’d finished uttering her name. It tasted sweet on his tongue.

“Good night Rin.” He felt her forehead press into his neck, and he couldn’t help imagining that she’d planted a soft kiss there before nuzzling against him and curling up to contour to his curves.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Things will most likely be consistently more thirsty from here on out because oblivious, horny idiots have apparently become my signature brand. Also, if you liked any of my BNHA stuff, I uploaded a short fic that I did on commission! Shameless plugs aside, thanks as always for reading and supporting!


	11. Tension

It was still dark outside when Rin felt himself begin to wake up. His eyes blinked groggily, drying a bit of drool against his pillow as he tried to come to terms with reality again. His dreams had been vague and cozy, but now that he was coming to he could easily understand why. Meron. Judging by her limp, still arm around him and the steady rise and fall of her chest against his back, she’d fallen asleep. He could hear her even breathing, but he didn’t dare try to roll over and risk rousing her.

At first he was annoyed he’d woken up at all; usually he slept through the night, like a rock. Just as he was starting to question what the hell had disturbed him up, he got his answer. A sharp, tingling bolt shot through his core as he felt something smooth rub and slide between his legs, far closer to his morning wood (was it even morning yet?) than he was prepared for. When he processed the tight coil around his broad thigh he put two-and-two together. Her tail. He released a shaky sigh after the sharp gasp he’d sucked in as the slender appendage shifted around and against him.

Her tail had slithered forward between her own legs and then his, the rest of its generous length wrapped like a snake around the trunk of his thigh. And his had apparently decided to reciprocate in his sleep. The fluffy line of his tail was snug around her smaller, shapely leg. A nervous gulp nearly choked him when their position dawned on him further, and he remembered Meron’s vague mention of demons’ tails and their supposed “mating” rituals.

Fuck. He should stop this before she woke up. Without thinking, he shuffled his hand under the blankets to try and find her tail around his leg and maybe hope to dislodge it, but the second his fingertips made contact he felt her body tense against him and the coil tighten. Once again he jolted at the newfound pressure against his erection. If he choked on a quiet groan, he didn’t feel that bad about it; not when she let out a little whimper of her own.

Plan B. He began to gradually unravel his tail from her leg, but the friction her full, soft thighs created around the appendage made him shudder nonetheless. Damn it, why did they have to be so sensitive? It was like every nerve was on high alert. He managed to untangle himself, his tail curving down against his lower body in some odd form of submission. Then there was still the issue of her own smooth, spade-tipped tail stroking against his dick.

His thighs squirmed, apparently creating a similar, enticing friction around her sensitive appendage just based off of the breathy sound she emitted. He went rigid as she began to stir; of course she had to be a light sleeper, didn’t she? Her small fist buried into his belly as she clung tighter to him, her hips lining up with his backside just as she began to murmur incoherently under her breath.

“Rin…?” she began, more clear now that her senses were coming back to her, little by little. “Nng… I fell asleep again. I’m sorr-” Before she could finish her drowsy apology he couldn’t help but squirm again, his thighs squeezing and rubbing around her tail and forcing a pitched gasp to catch in her throat. At first it tightened around him, then struggled out of its coiled confines to tuck safely between her own legs. “I’m sorry!”

He felt her shift quickly, hopping up out of bed and padding towards the door in a heartbeat. He hardly had time to roll over and watch her go, let alone call after or stop her.  There was barely enough time for him to process the door snapping shut as she disappeared behind it. Sorry…? Why the hell was  _ she _ sorry? He’d just begun to sit up in his frantic attempt to reassure her, only to flop limply back on the mattress with a dismal grunt. She was so confusing. Surely she knew he liked her…  _ that way _ . He wasn’t exactly subtle, not to mention the whole ‘empath’ thing.

His chest stung as he considered it a moment too long. Maybe it really was all impulse. There was no way she didn’t know how he felt, so the only explanation was that she was just getting dragged along by his emotions and his wants. It had probably been stupid for him to think otherwise. As if she might actually… A rough growl strained in his throat as he snatched one of the pillows out from under his head and smothered it over his face in his frustration.  _ Idiot _ .

What was worse was that he still ached with the memory of her touch. Both those she’d been aware of and those she hadn’t. It was with a guilty curiosity that he reached down to palm at the tense knot between his legs, shifting the pillow aside so he could see what he was doing. Even then the swell of his stomach blocked his view a bit. He hardly thought about it as he slipped his tail around his own thigh as if to mimic hers, the hand not busy with his crotch prodding experimentally at the padding of his belly.

It was a poor substitute for the real thing. Her pretty, delicate fingers and the way they melted into his soft layers were so much more satisfying. Still, the contact made a new rush of blood flood southward, and that only encouraged him more. He closed his eyes again, tilting his head into the abandoned pillow to his side as he tried to imagine and recreate her touch in his mind. His fingers curled to grip a roll of soft flesh, kneading at it while his other hand snuck under the waistband of his sweats, then his boxers.

This was probably wrong and weird and gross in a dozen different ways, but now that his morbid curiosity had taken over he couldn’t stop. Especially not when he was busy trying to block out his own anxiety. What better way than with a good, old-fashioned jackoff session? He shut his eyes tighter and groaned into his pillow to muffle the sound, his hips bucking on instinct as he finally curled his hand around his erection. The other hand kept itself busy rubbing, poking, squeezing, and shaking his chubby stomach.

His tail coiled a little tighter around his thigh, still simulating her presence as his slow, steady pumps picked up speed. Soon his breathing grew ragged and uneven, heat flooding his whole body as he struggled to repress growling, impassioned moans. Jaw clenching and brows furrowing in concentration, he repeated those pretty noises she’d made over in his head, all while stroking himself and roughly jiggling his modest gut. “Sh-shit,” he stammered, barely a choked whisper as he pictured her glowing, minty eyes and slitted pupils, her pretty face dusted with freckles and painted pink. “M-...  _ Meron-! _ ”

Whispering her name triggered his climax, his back arching slightly off the bed and his hips jerking against his will. His teeth ground together so hard it hurt, just to keep from making too much noise as he turned his head to bury his face into the pillow. He came long and hard, harder than he ever had. Gradually he came down, catching his breath and riding the last few waves of pleasure against his hand. He pried one eye halfway open to gaze down at himself: chest heaving, undeniably chubby, and with his hands writhing beneath his clothes. 

The fingers on his belly were gripping bare flesh so tightly that it actually stung a bit when he let go, and he noticed subtle red marks and crescent-shaped indentations from his blunt nails. Shit. Had he really been grabbing at himself that aggressively? Or was it just his intense climax forcing him to hold tighter? Either way it didn’t matter. He sighed, wrecked and shaky, as he smoothed his palm placatingly over the abused skin, the sensation tingling up and down his spine. 

He sat up, watching the way his belly bunched and bulged in his lap. It mostly covered the uncomfortable wet spot at his crotch, not that he had any intentions to sit in his own mess for long. One hand raised to rub his temple firmly, aggravated with himself; the other gripped the roll of his stomach to give it a hateful little shake, watching how it rippled in his hand. This was getting kind of ridiculous, wasn’t it? He slouched, defeated, and stared out the window as the first rays of morning started to trickle through.

Well. He was definitely awake now.

Meron had barely made it to her room when, even from across the dormitory, she could feel Rin’s lustful state begin to overflow. Her knees shook dangerously when she was first hit with the force of his desperate arousal, a similar heat and need pooling in her body as she stumbled to her bed. Every thought, want, emotion, and…  _ touch _ . She could feel it all so strongly. Secondhand or not, it was enough to have her writhing softly on the mattress.

It wasn’t the first time she’d sensed him in such a state. After all, she was always awake at night, and there was never enough distance between them to completely mute his mental presence. Whether she wanted to or not, she could always feel when he was wanting. And, likewise, when he decided to indulge those wants. But this was so much more concentrated, more intense. And, more than that, she was the center of it. It had her unravelling, her legs squeezing together as she resisted the urge to touch herself in tandem.

The more focused his thoughts became and the more his pleasure heightened, the harder it was to dismiss. His heat and his form, his voice, his touch. Her skin tingled as if he was really there. She pictured his curvy shape, imagined her fingers digging into and squeezing, jiggling his flesh. Her teeth sinking in lovingly to kiss, bite, and suck the softest parts of his body. A tiny moan rose in her throat, one hand covering her mouth to muffle it, the other tearing into her blankets. It was too much to ignore. Unbearable.

The vicious pounding of her heart in her ears muffled the sounds of her pitched breaths and muffled moans, his climax wracking her body as if it was her own. Her flushed cheeks glowed as her dazed eyes fluttered open, panting heavily as she was eased through the end of their shared orgasm. The tension melted from her muscles and her center, but not from her chest. It took her a moment to regain her composure and catch her breath, sitting up with a light, hazy feeling clouding her mind. She hadn’t felt something like that in a long time, if she ever had at all.

Despite the early weekend morning he was well awake, his thoughts and emotions a blur. With a deep breath, she made the executive decision to beat him down to the kitchen for breakfast. He was still trying to will himself out of bed, and he wanted to change for sure. Maybe shower? Definitely shower. That gave her plenty of time to have breakfast ready for him, as some kind of consolation for her behavior, whether he was aware of it or not.

The thought alone made her face flush and her stomach knot with nerves as she padded on bare feet out of her room and down to the dining area. She had plenty of time to set the table with Rin’s favorite breakfast dishes, so she took her time to make sure they wouldn’t be cold by the time he came down. She put a kettle of water on the stove to heat up, and while she waited for it to boil she tidied up the kitchen and cleaned whatever dishes were in the sink.

By the time the teapot started to whistle she was ready to start making his breakfast, pulling each dish from thin air in her characteristic, glittering smoke. Just as she was finishing up he was coming down the steps, running his fingers through his damp hair. Their eyes met as she set two piping hot cups of tea at the table and took a seat for herself. She smiled a bit shyly, but she felt warm relief wash over her when he returned the gesture, despite the note of uncertainty there.

“I hope you’re hungry,” she invited, noticing him gaze over all the food she’d produced. His weak, wry smile made it clear that he was, and that he knew she was well aware of the fact. At first she could only shrug as he took the seat in front of her and scooted closer to the table. He didn’t seem to notice the way the edge of it indented against the squishy curve of his belly, or he just couldn’t be bothered by it. “I wanted to make up for waking you so… rudely.”

He quirked a brow at her, already halfway through a spoonful of rice. After swallowing he cleared his throat, pink warmth pooling in his softly rounded cheeks. “You don’t have to make up for anything,” he told her plainly, considering his words carefully. As much as he wanted to point out that she must know how he felt, it was too daunting. That was dangerously close to confessing to her. It’d be too weird. “You were totally out. Wasn’t your fault.”

But she should’ve stayed awake in the first place. That was the second time too. She hung her head for a moment, sipping her tea. All the while his gaze remained intent and expectant. “I don’t even remember falling asleep,” she chuckled sheepishly, only to trail off. That was no excuse. All she remembered was his warmth, his softness, and the sound of his gentle breathing. “Next time I’ll be more careful.”

At that he perked up, pausing to blink widely at her mid-chew. The skip in his chest almost startled him, and he couldn’t even wait to finish his mouthful before talking, stupidly eager as he was. “Next time?”

The sudden flush in her cheeks brought a mild sense of satisfaction to him. “Would you rather I didn’t?” He shook his head, red flooding his own face as he nearly choked when he tried to speak again. An affectionate chuckle bubbled up in her throat, and she waited patiently for him to recover before continuing. “You slept really well, so… I thought you’d want me to.”

“Y-yeah,” he managed to fumble out, ruffling his hair just to keep his free hand busy while the other poked at his food with his spoon. He just hadn’t thought  _ she’d  _ want to. Then again.... “I’d like that a lot. But not just for my sake,” he added a bit more firmly, his anxieties from before returning with a vengeance. “I’d rather you just did what you wanted.”

That surprised her, forcing her to pause and consider her response. She did want to, of course, and for her own selfish reasons as well as for his benefit. But how could she admit that and reassure him without raising his fragile hopes or putting his feelings at risk? “I can’t say I don’t enjoy it,” she murmured in hesitant admission, being as tactful as possible. “Sleeping is a luxury I’ve never really gotten to enjoy. And you’re very comfortable to be with.”

That seemed to satisfy him, a warm glow slowly forcing the gloomy clouds to clear away from his aura. His tension ebbed, and she almost couldn’t believe how easy it was to put his worries at rest. Then again, he wasn’t the type to agonize over anything for too long. He offered a somewhat shy grin, flashing his fangs at her. “I’m glad. You’re always sayin’ you want me to be happy,” he began, his tail twitching and waggling behind him, “but I want that for you too. Okay?”

She wished her heart would stop beating so damn hard. She couldn’t even think clearly with its rhythmic drumming. “Okay,” she agreed, her voice feeling like a rock lodged in her throat as he stomach fluttered and churned.

The warm rush of emotions that flowed off him was bittersweet. She allowed him to finish his meal in comfortable quiet, just basking in the glow of his good mood. Such a good mood in fact that he hardly realized he’d polished off every single dish in front of him, despite the size of the small buffet she’d prepared. By the time he’d finished he was slumped slightly in his chair, a tiny pout pinched on his face as he tried to subtly massage his swollen belly without her noticing.

“Was there too much?” she asked with a concerned pique of her brows, getting up and trailing over to his side of the table. Standing behind him, she leaned forward a bit so that their cheeks brushed together. She moved to rest one hand on his shoulder, the other stroking apologetically over the bulging dome of his gut. 

He shook his head, but she could hear him swallow thickly and shudder out a sigh that he tried in vain to mask. His pink, chubby face had flushed to a near red, and he sounded almost breathless, enamored as he watched her hand rub in circles, occasionally offering a careful, experimental knead into the taut sphere. “Nah,” he assured her, his voice cracking softly. “There was just enough.”

Despite the clearly overfilled status of his stomach, what he said was nowhere near a bluff. He truly was content like this. Full and aching, the sheer weight and mass of his own belly making him feel newly sleepy. Meron could feel all of it: his satisfaction, his returning drowsiness, and his odd intrigue. She hardly realized when her other hand joined the first on his belly, each one massaging either side and forcing her to rest her chin on his shoulder and press her chest against his back.

“You should get a bit more sleep,” she offered, the movement unconscious as she leaned her head against his to nuzzle softly against his neck. Her fingers prodded carefully, the sheer size and stiffness of his belly making her breath hitch. “You’re so big and full...” As much as she couldn’t believe that she’d said that out loud, she was oddly pleased when he just nodded his silent agreement. He was pleased too (maybe a little more than pleased), and her words just goaded him further. “Come on. I’ll help you up.”

And he really did need her help too. Just scooting his chair back to give him and his heft enough room seemed like a chore, let alone actually hauling himself to his feet. She took either of his hands, surprising him with the strength and the ease with which she tugged him up. So much so that he stumbled forward a bit, pushing her backwards into the table and forcing his fat, stuffed gut flush against her. Both hands braced against the edge of the table to steady himself, inadvertently trapping her between it and his body.

“S-sorry,” he choked out numbly, just beginning to back up when he processed her firm, needy hands as she moved them to touch and stroke his distended shape. 

It was so embarrassing, all of it. The weight gain, his own, increasing gluttony… but he didn’t hate it either. Being so “big and full” that it was hard for him to even stand; having her grab him like that, even if it was just impulse; feeling so out of breath, so oddly turned on just from eating and thinking about where all those calories would go. He shouldn’t enjoy any of it. He tried to convince himself that he didn’t. His fingers tightened their grip against the table just slightly as he struggled to breathe evenly.

She surprised him with a fond smile that joined the dark flush in her cheeks. Her hands balled into fists at his waist to clutch his thin, cotton shirt and roll her knuckles into the flesh that remained soft behind his impressive food belly. It just drew attention to how tight the fabric had gotten around him, the hem raising to reveal a thin strip of his pale muffin top. “It’s okay,” she murmured, trying and failing to keep her wits about her. “Let’s get you to bed.”

“Will you stay and…” He trailed off, hardly believing what he was about to say. But he was tired, food-drunk, and horny all over again, so maybe his mind wasn’t exactly at its sharpest. He shuddered out a soft breath, almost unable to meet her eyes as he blurted out the rest of his request. “And do that thing? It just… kinda hurts.” That was his own fault, and he knew it, but he wouldn’t be the one to say it. 

To make his point clear he moved his hands to cup her wrists, softly guiding her own palms back over his round belly. “And…” He gulped, nervous but determined to continue. “... That feels good.”

She couldn’t help but muse that  _ he _ was the one who felt good. Both the physical feeling of his shape, and the pleasured discomfort radiating off of him. Her lips pursed with nerves, her eyes lost in his sheer size as she pressed closer, almost against her will. Almost. Before she could process it she was nodding, her mouth dry and throat tight. “Of course.” 

Maybe she should’ve said no, but… she didn’t want to. He backed up carefully to free her from between his heavy body and the table, but she stuck close regardless. It took a mere second or two to will away all the dishes she’d conjured, satisfied to come back down and clean up properly a bit later. For now she just wanted to take care of him. She pulled his arm around her shoulders to offer some support, noticing his other hand slip down to cup the rounded weight of his gut.

It was a slow trudge up to his room, but once there he was eager to lay himself down, just slightly propped up with pillows. His eyes slipped almost immediately closed, but he was well awake as he awaited her company on the bed. At first she just perched on the edge of the mattress, running one hand over his swollen abdomen as best she could. He’d gotten a good deal bigger since last she’d done this though, and she felt as if she couldn’t reach all she needed to. Impulse took over from there.

In a single, fluid movement she slid one leg across his lap to straddle him. Despite his sleepy haze his eyes shot open, lips parting as he sucked in a quiet, sharp breath. His throat bobbed as he swallowed, carefully meeting her eyes with a hopeful curiosity. Meron hadn’t thought he could’ve turned any pinker, but she was proven wrong when her hand cupped his chubby cheek, her thumb tracing the blurring line between his rounded jawline and his neck. It was hard to pull away, but impossible to resist running both hands down from his shoulders to slowly make their way towards his tummy.

Rin shuddered, every touch like blissful lightning against his skin. Every nerve seemed on high alert, and he was so hyper aware of the meaning behind every little gesture. Her thumb against what was almost a double chin was like a silent remark about how chubby his face was getting. The way her fingers delicately prodded into his chest on the way down to his stomach made him squirm a little as he realized he practically had tits of his own now, though they were subtle, dense and perky.

He didn’t realize he’d started moving his own hands until he felt the full warmth of her thighs underneath either of his palms.

Meron had to force her eyes to break from his, instead trailing down his thick shape to watch her hands begin to work against his belly, stroking and kneading carefully through his shirt. She also couldn’t help but notice the way the bulge of his overhang squished and molded against her pelvis, framed by her own shapely thighs still occupied by Rin’s hands as he idly rubbed up and down them. A month ago there would’ve been so much space between their bodies, aside from the immediate connection of their hips as she sat atop his.

“You’ve gotten bigger,” she murmured, hardly realizing that she’d verbalized the thought at all. She heard the nervous little groan strangle in his throat, half-embarrassed and half-aroused. It was so cute. And her tone was hardly accusatory. “Especially your belly. I thought you were going to try and lose weight…?”

Nerves prickled down his spine, his hands stalling against her legs and twitching softly against her flesh. “Don’t make fun’a me,” he mumbled half-heartedly, biting his cheek to hold back the anxious pout trying to work onto his face. But she hadn’t sounded like she was mocking him; in fact, it almost sounded like she was…  _ praising _ him. He wasn’t even sure he’d mind it if she did decide to truly tease him, but that thought was much more vague. It took his last shred of sobriety not to raise his hips for some ounce of friction.

“I’m not,” she assured him, and he believed her too. The hazy, enamored look in her eyes as she visually drank him in was too telling. “I think it suits you.” As if to make her point she splayed her palm at the thickest part of his hip before giving a squeeze that he could only consider to be affectionate. Maybe even adoring. Her other hand kept pressing and smoothing over his taut belly.

“You’re… really weird,” he stammered out, barely able to keep his eyes open but determined to continue watching her. “And I don’t get you at all.”

She smiled somberly, her hand sliding down to contour to the curving bulge of his underbelly, digging her thumb under his soft muffin top while her fingers massaged into the slightly firmer skin above it. Then she gave his plump hip a little shake, the gentle force making his gut wobble just slightly and pulling a small, purring whine out of him. It sounded as pleased as it did disconcerted. Her weak sense of morality begged her to stop, but… his body just felt so good, yielding and jiggling under her ministrations.

“That’s fair,” she chuckled under her breath. “I can’t honestly say I understand myself.”

His brows pinched, and she could sense the questions burning in his mind as he unconsciously gripped and kneaded her thighs. Apparently he couldn’t find the bravery to voice any of them; that or he was just too tired. Maybe both. Instead he let himself relax, biting his lip as he watched her slim fingers play with his rounded shape. Why’d he have to take such weird pleasure in it though?

“Feels really good,” he eventually mumbled, though he wasn’t sure if he was talking about her experimental, placating touches, or about all the extra pounds padding his body and the copious amounts of food weighing heavily in his belly.

Meron knew that it was both, but made no comment. She just smiled softly, hummed in neutral response, and worked her hands over his overstuffed belly to comfort it. The more he relaxed under her touches, the more even and deep his breathing grew. His eyes grew heavy as sleep steadily took over, and within moments he was out like a light. The succubus only stayed for a while longer, shamefully enjoying him while she could. She pinched softly at either of his hips, doughy flesh flooding out over the stretched waistband of his sweats. He really was getting big.

She shuddered out a sigh before detaching herself from him, sliding carefully off his lap and lingering for a moment or two to run her fingers through his hair, slide his shirt back down in some meager attempt to cover his big tummy, and tug the blanket up over his chest. A thick swallow stuck in her throat, teeth catching her lip as she leaned down to quickly and carefully press a kiss to his temple, then his cheek. He didn’t even stir, but she wasn’t about to press her luck either. Besides, she still had to clean up after breakfast.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow we finally made it to some actual smut. Hoo-rah everybody. TvT


	12. Caring Gestures

Snow twirled lazily down from the sky on the dawn of True Cross Academy’s winter break, the three residents of the old dormitory soundly asleep in bed and enjoying their first morning off to the fullest. Meron and Rin had shared his space once again, only for her to fall asleep despite her best efforts. A new habit she’d found hard to break. Even Yukio had yet to rise, though his alarm was sure to go off at any moment. Weak threads of sunlight were just beginning to pierce through the window when the succubus’ eyes barely began to blink open.

The air was chilly against her face and neck, what little was left exposed by the blankets. Underneath, on the other hand, it was warm and cozy. It made it hard for her to want to get up, tucked so snugly against Rin’s body. Her back was to him, the curve of his belly fitting perfectly into that of her spine as his arm draped over her waist and clung firmly. Currently he was nosing into the pink crown of her hair, his breath tickling against the shell of her ear.

A pleasant little shiver ran down her spine as she carefully turned to lay on her back. Her companion mumbled in his sleep, but didn’t stir much. He felt heavy against her, laying on his stomach with a good half of his body over hers thanks to the change in position. Not that she minded. His plush form molded around her, warm and comforting as he continued to doze. His chubby cheek was smushed against his pillow as he half-buried his face in it. 

Meron couldn’t help but smile at his relaxed expression, squirming a hand free so she could brush a few dark strands of hair from his closed eyes. Her fingers lingered, tracing down his softly rounded cheek to cup his faded jawline. He was so pretty, she thought to herself, eyeing his barely-parted lips wantingly. Luckily she caught herself before she could move and attempt to close the gap between them, carefully wriggling her way out from under his hefty form. Even then he remained mostly still as she recovered him with the blankets, wishing she could stay under them with him.

In her sleepy, infatuated daze, she didn’t give it much thought as she casually exited his room, only to go stone still when she noticed Yukio out of the corner of her eye. He’d just gotten out of bed as well, dressed but with his hair slightly mussed from sleep. Just like hers no doubt was. Her heart pounded anxiously in her chest as she tried to get a read on him. If Rin hadn’t been asleep it would’ve been impossible, hard as it was to pick up on the younger twin’s muted aura. The energy that radiated off of him was mild, but no less icy.

“Morning,” she blurted out quietly, and it sounded even stupider out loud than it had in her head. What else could she say though? He’d grown no warmer towards her since their first meeting, the day he’d aimed his gun between her eyes. Since then they’d hardly spoken, even when Rin was around to mediate. And now there they were, facing off alone just as she'd incriminated herself.

The subtle narrowing of his eyes made her shiver, his brows furrowing and his jaw tense. “Meron.” It was hardly a greeting; rather, it sounded more like an accusation. “I thought we discussed using your own room. Is it safe to assume this has been going on for a while, now?”

Straight to the point, and more cutting than a knife. She swallowed thickly, raising her chin as if she had no fear and nothing to feel guilty about, even though neither were true. “He just doesn’t like sleeping alone,” she explained to him as firmly as possible, her voice managing to stay steady but her lips trembling. Her tail curled tighter around her leg, having wrapped itself there the second she’d noticed him. “It’s not the way you think it is.”

“Isn’t it?” Those two words prompted a hard thud in her chest, but to her surprise Yukio released a long, pensive sigh as he pinched the bridge of his nose beneath his glasses. “You should know that I’ll be gone on a mission for most of the break. I don’t say that as a courtesy: I say it as a warning. If it were up to me, you’d be under Mephisto’s watch until I got back, but it’s  _ not _ up to me. Despite my objections, he’s too impassive on the matter to bother involving himself. If anything happens to Rin while I’m away-”

“You’re threatening me now?” Meron bristled, her fear quickly turning over into simmering indignity. “I care about Rin too, so don’t insult me.”

His gaze was level as he looked her up and down, the two of them a mere foot or two away from each other outside Rin’s door. He crossed his arms over his chest, looking oddly… conflicted. She could sense it too: he knew how Rin felt, whether he condoned it or not, and he wanted to believe her. It would've been easier on all of them if he could. “If that’s true,” he began in an even tone, “then it isn’t really a threat, is it?”

She blinked up at him, the harsh baring of her fangs going a bit slack. “It is true,” she insisted, the tension in her body relaxing, if marginally. “I would never try to hurt him.”

“Then prove it.” He gave her one more glance over before grasping the knob, most likely aiming to wake his brother up and tell him of his coming departure. The younger twin had yet to turn it though, considering the succubus carefully. “For better or worse, it’s taking a lot of my trust to leave you two like this. I hope you realize that.” Before she could respond, he knocked sharply on Rin’s door before opening it, entering, and snapping it shut behind him.

Apparently Rin hadn’t taken the news well. Yukio left for his assignment shortly after informing him of it, and by the time he joined Meron in the kitchen to cook breakfast he appeared to be in a solemn mood. It wasn’t hard to tell why, either. The hard part was trying not to question him as she clumsily whisked eggs and cream in a bowl while he diced some vegetables. In fact, it was so hard that she failed in her efforts altogether.

Her eyes never left the yellow batter in her bowl as she timidly spoke up. “Tomorrow is your birthday, isn’t it? Both yours and Yukio’s,” she guessed with a soft roll of her shoulders. He nodded, his brows pinching as he tried to repress his sourness. “And he won’t be here. I’m sorry…”

“S’not your fault,” he assured her with a dismal smile in her direction, the knife in his hand pausing for the brief second that he looked away. “It just kinda sucks. All my Cram School friends’re leavin’ town too. They’ve all got family to go and visit and stuff. Just my luck, huh...?” Noticing her thoughtful frown, he tried his best to brighten his smile as he gave her arm a little nudge with his elbow. “But hey, I won’t be alone at least. I’ve got you to keep me company.”

Although she returned his bright smile, the sentiment warming her from the inside out, she couldn’t help being reminded of Yukio’s concerns. It was best she didn’t worry him with that conflict though. “If you say so,” she hummed in hesitant agreement, setting the bowl of eggs down now that she was satisfied with their consistency. At least they’d finally found a kitchen task she could manage without hazardous results.

“Hey, don’t sound so gloomy,” he chided, setting his knife down now that all the other ingredients were ready. “It’s not like you’re a bronze medal or anything. You’re my friend too, and I’m happy havin’ you around.”

Meron managed a little nod, resisting the urge to wrap him up in a hug. How did  _ he _ end up being the one consoling  _ her _ ? She watched idly as he sauteed veggies on the stove before adding in the egg batter, cooking and folding it expertly after sprinkling a bit of cheese in the middle. Already she’d decided on a plan for the next evening, even if he didn’t expect anything from her. That would just make it better. She wondered if he’d ever had a proper surprise party before.

* * *

 

The next twenty-four hours passed uneventfully, the two demons nearly inseparable throughout it. He’d been assigned a bit of homework for his Cram School classes to be done over the break, so that was keeping him busy. At least it was supposed to be. Meron had been offering help where he needed it and was just about to excuse herself to go and do some “chores,” hoping he’d be content to stay where he was and continue his studies. No such luck.

“I’ll come help,” he yawned as he got up and stretched, the motion pulling the hem of his shirt an inch or two up over his rounded belly. Gradually getting rounder as the days passed, too. The thought made her stomach twist with a guilty intrigue “My brain’s gonna go numb if I keep at this.”

“No,” she insisted as delicately as possible. She just needed a bit of time to herself (ten minutes, max) to get everything ready. Otherwise it wouldn't be a surprise. “I can handle it. You’ll be better off if you don’t procrastinate.”

“But I have  _ all week _ ,” he argued lightly with a pout, rolling his shoulders. “I won’t pre-... pro-...?  _ That _ . I just need a break.”

She strode over to him, raising her hands to firmly plant them on his shoulders and employ her demon strength to sit him back down. His ass hit the seat with a dull thud, his eyes blinking widely up at her. “But you’ve hardly started,” she chastised with a patiently wry smirk.

Once again he’d been surprised by the strength contained within her small body, his jaw slack as he gawked at her. Delicate fingers were still planted firmly against his shoulders as she hovered above him, that coy look on her pretty face, her eyes slightly hooded. If he hadn’t known better, he might’ve thought she was about to lean in and kiss him. That sent a hot flush to his face, but he masked it with a challenging grin. “What, you think you can just hold me here?” he laughed under his breath, his hands reaching up to fold around her waist. “You’re not the only one around here who’s strong, y’know.”

Maybe he took a little too much pleasure in the hitched gasp she emitted as he hopped to his feet, his grip staying firm and lifting her up along with him. Just to be safe, he kept her balanced against his broad form, but the tight contact just served to fluster her more.”Rin!” she cried, scrambling a bit as he held her aloft like a squirming kitten. “Put me down!”

“You’re the one who went pickin’ a fight,” he taunted, flashing his fangs in a triumphant smile. “Now c’mon, we’ll both go and-”

His victory was cut short as he started to carry Meron towards the door. In his hurry he forgot his own bulk, bumping into his desk with his wide hips and losing a bit of his balance. It didn’t help when he tried to find his footing again, only to trip on a bit of laundry that had been carelessly discarded on the floor. In seconds he was tumbling down, taking her with him. A hard thud resounded as the two hit the ground in tandem.

Rin groaned dully as his brain caught up to his clumsy body; his eyes blinked open, only to realize they were less than an inch from hers. He could feel her ragged breath against his lips, their noses brushing as they exchanged a long, stunned look. Her eyes weren’t wide and startled like he’d expected them to be: they were half-lidded and shadowed by her thick lashes, pupils dilated widely as weak gasps shuddered passed her lips.

It was incredible how heavy he’d gotten. His width and mass nearly buried her now, the dense cushioning of his flesh molding warmly around her. It had her breathless in more ways than one, especially with her hands trapped between their bodies. If she’d been able to she might’ve looped her legs around him and dragged him in closer, greedy for his weight and contact, forcing him to stay pressed on top of her. She squirmed softly as a strained whine snuck its way through her vocal cords without her permission, his body so big and blissfully crushing. “Rin,” she breathed, fingers curling into his thick, pliant flesh, “y-you’re so  _ heavy… _ ”

She hadn’t meant it as a complaint. In fact, she hadn’t even meant to  _ say _ it at all, really, but tumbled thoughtlessly from her lips regardless. Iit was enough to prompt him to scramble backwards and sit on his knees, and a humiliated heat flooded his face. “Are you hurt?” he blurted out, taking in the way she’d twitched and writhed, the deep red of her cheeks and the pinch of her brows. She didn’t look like she was in pain though, he thought with a thick swallow. Far from it. “Meron…?”

It was hard to calm down, her mind reeling and hormones flooding with that sudden whirl of events. So much had been pent up for so long, and as much as she wanted to take him by the shirt collar and yank him back down on top of her, she remembered her promise to Yukio. Remembered their situation. Remembered her place. The most she allowed herself was slow, wanting sweep of her eyes up and down his form and his pudgy belly exposed by his rumpled shirt before she started to stand.

“I’m fine,” she told him, staggering just a bit while crossing towards the door. “I just need some time alone.”

He hadn’t even gotten up from the floor before she all but bolted out, his jaw slack with unspoken apologies. His lips pursed tightly, jaw clenching as he hit himself harshly on the forehead with his palm. “Stupid,” he grated alongside his self-administered corperal punishment, wobbling to his feet shortly afterwards. Not so much as a glance was tossed at his homework before he plopped himself dismally down on his bed. The force of his descent made his belly squish and jiggle in his lap and forced the springs to whimper beneath him.

_ You’re so  _ heavy.

Her words and the way her voice strained and shuddered echoed in his head, making him flush hotly and his blood pulse southwards. A shiver ran up his spine as he remembered the way her fingers had dug into the pliant folds of his gut. A gruff sigh escaped him, and he laid back to stare up at the ceiling between his fingers as they rubbed aggravatedly up and down his face. That statement shouldn’t have made him feel the way he did: caught somewhere between embarrassed, excited, and maybe even… proud? He  _ had _ gotten heavy. Really, he wasn’t sure how he  _ should’ve _ felt.

At least he could be sure she wasn’t hurt. She was too sturdy for that, even if she didn’t look it. But then… what  _ was _ that? She hadn’t looked like she was in pain, he thought to himself a second time. Maybe even the opposite of that. It looked more like she’d…  _ enjoyed _ it. But that was weird. Weird and it didn’t make any sense. Right? Once again he found a certain tension building in the pit of his stomach as he remembered the way she’d felt underneath him, the way she’d looked and sounded as he buried her under his soft mass. 

About twenty minutes passed before he decided he couldn’t take any more sitting and waiting. She'd had her "time alone," he decided, and the uncertainty was unbearable. He willed away his stubborn hormones, at least for the time being as he stood up and gave a half-hearted rub between his legs through his sweats. Later. Maybe never. But probably later. Either way, he needed to go and make sure she was okay, or at the very least make sure she wasn’t absolutely furious with him. 

He took heavy steps down the hall to the opposite wing of the dormitory, stopping outside her room. Unlike when he usually lingered outside, she didn’t invite him in upon sensing his approach. Not a good sign. After a single knock prompted no reply, he opened the door hesitantly. Empty. He opened the crack of the door wider to make doubly sure she wasn’t there, then turned on his heel and jogged back down the hall without even thinking to shut it.

“Meron?” he called, taking the steps down two at a time, each step making his thick thighs brush and his heavy gut bounce and wobble. “Meron!” He skidded to a stop when he reached the dining area, finding it odd that the whole space was pitch black. He could barely make out the vague outlines of the room, splaying his hand against the wall until he found the light switch and flicked it on.

Once his eyes adjusted to the blinding light his jaw dropped, his heart thudding in his chest and his stomach knotting. The whole space was decked out in streamers and balloons, the table set with his favorite foods and even a cake. A festive banner was hung up on the wall opposite him, reading in big, blue letters “Happy Birthday, Rin!” And at the center of it all was Meron, smiling fondly with the slightest, apologetic note in her eyes. 

“Sorry for worrying you,” she began simply, a soft blush still lingering in her cheeks. It was all she could do to busy herself and keep from thinking about the way that incident had made her feel, rather than let those feelings overwhelm her. Though it hadn’t been easy. “I just wanted it to be a surprise, so I had to get away somehow… happy birthday, Rin.”

At first he was too stunned for words, stepping closer and taking in all she’d done. Naturally it meant a lot to him, his chest feeling suddenly tight, like his ribs were closing in on his lungs. Then he turned to her, raised a hand, and smacked her on the back of the head. She flinched, but her smile never faltered. “Idiot,” he scolded, a pout forming on his face. “I thought you were mad at me and ran off! Don’t scare me like that!”

The best she could offer was a weak chuckle, rubbing the back of her head. Not that he’d hit her hard enough for it to actually hurt. He never would. “Why would I have run off?” she reasoned mildly, taking his hand and giving it a gentle squeeze. “I just got… flustered, that’s all.”

‘Flustered.’ Was that the right word for it? It seemed close, but just a little off. Like an understatement. “Yeah, well… you do weird things sometimes,” he huffed back contrarily, stuffing his free hand in the deep pocket of his sweat pants while the other lingered around hers. “I can never tell what’s going on in your head, or what you’ll do next.”

Meron blinked up at him, processing the ebbing waves of anxiety slowly being replaced by relief and a calm sense of joy. He’d really been that worried? She tugged his hand, drawing him closer to lean into him reassuringly. “Well, I can tell you one thing for sure: I’m not going anywhere anytime soon,” she told him, hesitating a mere second before raising his knuckles to her lips. “I just wanted to try and do something special for you.”

The feeling of her gentle kiss on his hand made him quiver a bit. Wasn’t that usually what guys were supposed to do? He didn’t have it in him to care, angling his body so he could wrap his arm around her, while still allowing her to clutch his hand. “Did you have to be so sneaky about it?” he chuckled weakly, gazing down at the way her full lips still lingered near his knuckles, her minty doe-eyes raising to meet his.

“I said I was sorry, didn’t I?” she laughed sheepishly, finally lowering his hand and casting a glance over at the table. “Come on then. We don’t want your birthday dinner getting cold.”

Rin didn’t need to be told twice. Now that his attention was drawn back to the food at the table, the smell hit him immediately. His mouth was practically watering by the time he sat himself down, looking over the generous helpings of sukiyaki and fried gyoza. “Thanks for the food,” he cheered as he picked up his chopsticks, wasting no time in raising a thick, juicy cut of beef to his lips. It was remarkably tender, and perfectly flavored with rich spices.

Meron pulled a chair up beside him, beaming happily as she watched him eat and relished the giddiness flooding off of him in waves. “I’m glad you like it,” she told him, hardly needing to ask if he did or not. 

It was obvious from the way he so eagerly dipped his chopsticks into his bowl, biting, chewing, and swallowing quickly. He only paused to lick any remnants away from his lips, dragging his tongue along in what seemed to her like slow motion. She knew he just wanted to savor every last morsel and drop of flavor, but it was quite the show for her nonetheless. The way his mouth moved around each bite was sinful, a shameful knot forming in her throat as she watched his bob gently each time he swallowed.

“Do you want any?”

His sudden question startled her, drawing her attention quickly away from his lips and up to his eyes, her cheeks suddenly feeling warm. “Hm? Oh, no… I made it for you, so don’t worry.”

He gulped down a modest mouthful, looking over his helpings and then at the miniature cake waiting for him. It was a bit bigger than what a single person should probably eat in one sitting, but that didn’t mean he planned on letting a single bite go to waste. “You always make a lot for me,” he mused thoughtfully as he caught a gyoza between his chopsticks and raised it to his lips.

She knew it hadn’t been an accusation, but it still felt pretty pointed. Especially since he was right. By that point it was subconscious, but every meal she made him was a hair too large. And each time he finished every bite, always surprisingly contented with being so full. “I-... I’d rather there be too much than not enough,” she stammered, the meeting of their eyes making her shiver softly. “I don’t want to risk you going hungry… You don’t have to eat all of it.”

“But I want to,” he blurted out, a beat of silence following. “I mean… y’know. I hate wasting food so it’s better if I just finish it.” Before he could say anything else stupid he filled the void of his mouth with a crisply cooked gyoza, the warm, savory filling practically melting on his tongue as his teeth tore through it.

Meron nodded, watching the last few bites disappear, too embarrassed herself to say anything at first. It didn’t help that his belly had started to swell from its contents, pushing his snug t-shirt up maybe an inch or so. The pale flesh left exposed spilled stiffly over his lap, and her teeth caught her lip as he gave it a little rub now that his hands were free. He was a bit full, but he was definitely prepared for more. Not just prepared, he  _ wanted _ more. He always did.

Meron hopped up to push the cake closer to him, lifting the fork off the plate and driving it into the confection to cut out a bite of it. “Here,” she offered carefully, raising the fork to his lips as she stood beside him. 

For a moment their eyes locked, then he flicked his back to the forkful before him, pink dying his cheeks. He couldn’t place why, but the implication of it all made him twitch a bit in his seat, nibbling his lip. Was she seriously going to feed him? And why was he way too okay with that? Swallowing a dry lump in his throat, he opened his mouth expectantly. There was something oddly intimate about it as he closed his mouth around the fork and sucked it clean.

He nearly groaned as the rich, moist batter melted on his tongue, the sugary frosting complimenting its more mild flavor. That was embarrassing. Definitely not the reaction to have just from eating a bite of cake, whether being fed by a pretty girl or not. He swallowed, opening his eyes (when had he closed them?) to watch her draw her doll-like hand away. It wasn’t until she began to set the fork down that he realized how badly he wanted her to continue as she had. He couldn’t believe what he was about to ask. 

“Mind helping me finish it? I’m already kinda full… but it’s really good.”

At first she just blinked down at him, puzzled but patient. “I don’t want any. We can always save what’s left-”

“No,” he cut in gently, his voice cracking. “I mean-...” His shaky voice trailed off, biting his lip harshly as he reached up from his vaguely swollen belly and pointedly nudged the fork back towards her with a flick of his pinky finger. The other hand stayed in place, giving a slow rub despite her adamant gaze. Or maybe because of it. 

Her eyes widened down at the cutlery, his point clear in more ways than one. “Oh,” she responded dumbly as it clicked into place. It would’ve been a lie to say she didn’t like the idea of spoiling him like that, pushing food into his mouth and feeding him like royalty. And as far as she was concerned, he was, even if he didn’t affiliate with his bloodline. In fact, maybe she liked the idea of pampering her “Prince” a little too much, but apparently he was stranded in the same boat. 

“Yeah,” she finally agreed, picking the fork back up and slicing off another big bite. "If you want."

“You don’t have to,” he backtracked, flustering as he misread her stunned disposition for something less than enthusiastic. At least until he was met with another heavy forkful. He glanced up to meet her eyes, expectant and maybe a bit hazy. If that was what urged him to eat from her hand once again, he couldn’t be sure of it. Only after chewing and swallowing did he finish his thought. “I-If you don’t want to…”

“I do,” she assured him, but gave no further elaboration as she nudged his chair slightly backwards, then picked up the plate before moving in front of him to stand directly between his slightly parted legs. She must’ve noticed the hot flush on his face and his quizzical expression, because she pursed her lips nervously. “It’s easier this way. Or would you rather I sat in your lap?” she joked, though her weak chuckle fell flat.

That was a little too on the nose, wasn’t it? 

The thought of it made him squirm, especially when he realized that, yeah, maybe he would’ve liked that. Nonetheless he shook his head, his eyes flicking sheepishly away. “N-no,” he croaked, leaning back in an attempt to seem relaxed, maybe even stoic; at the very least it gave his hefty gut more room in his lap. “This is fine…”

She nodded once, her eyes lowering to watch the fork cut into the cake a third time, then follow it to his lips as he parted them. His rounded face never faded from its deep, pink hue, his eyelids seeming to grow heavier the more he ate. About halfway through he started to slow down, groaning softly as he massaged his stomach. He was usually so shy about that sort of thing too, but his sense of modesty seemed to have left him in his moderately food-drunk state. He looked so big in that moment, the hem of his shirt forced up to his belly button by that point.

“Can you finish it?” she asked, setting the fork on the plate so she could use the newly freed hand to stroke up and down the wide sphere of his thick, stuffed belly. He shivered, biting his lip to muffle a quiet groan. “You don’t have to. We can save the rest for later.”

He shook his head, breathing out a shaky sigh. Every intake of breath stabbed at his stomach, his whole body feeling weighed down by the sheer amount of food he’d eaten. Her hand made him twitch needily as it joined his own, her fingers seeming to test the tautness of his flesh. “I can keep goin’,” he assured her, though he sounded oddly wrecked. At least the swollen bulge of his gut hid the halfer he was already sporting. Damn it, this was getting too weird… but it was so  _ good _ .

“If you’re sure,” she murmured, not about to argue with him on the matter. He seemed pretty damn sure. It felt good to her too, his own pleasure goading her onward. She gave his stomach one last stroke down, and on the way back up she slipped her delicate fingers and almond-shaped nails under the hem of his shirt to slide it up to his chest, exposing the rounded mass underneath. 

His breath hitched, but he didn’t protest, just glanced between the firm mound, her hand, and her eyes. This was the first time since he’d started putting on weight that he’d ever been so willingly exposed in front of her, but that soft look in her eyes and the gentle parting of her lips put him at ease. It was nothing like the various glances and stares his bare form had earned in the locker rooms at school. Admittedly she  _ was _ staring, but it wasn't the same. Not at all. She was flushed, her eyes affectionate and warm as she practically wet her lips, as if he looked as tasty to her as the confection in her hands did to him.

Gradually he worked his way through the small, but surprisingly dense cake. The deeper he got the less he could repress the soft, purring sounds of pained satisfaction. Each bite made his stomach ache dully, but he didn’t hesitate much before opening his mouth for the next. He felt ready to pass out by the time the plate was empty, his gut feeling impossibly heavy and round in his lap. “Shit,” he panted in mild relief, running his fingers in slow, soothing circles over the tight skin. “M’really full…”

Neither one of them could believe he’d said that out loud, but Meron just smiled fondly as she set the plate aside. One hand rested carefully on the crest of his belly, stroking in a spiral while the other raised to swipe her thumb over the corner of his mouth. He watched, mesmerized and breathless as she lapped away a small dollop of frosting off of it. “I’m not surprised,” she remarked easily, her smile sweet and patient. “You must be exhausted.”

He nodded, running a hand raggedly through his bangs. “Maybe a bit.”

“Let’s turn in, then,” she insisted gently, giving his gut an affectionate pat. Her following smile was timid and hopeful, her eyes meeting his with only an ounce of hesitation. “I hope it was a good birthday. I wanted to make sure you were happy tonight.”

He swallowed thickly, but gave an immediate nod of his head as he allowed himself to be carefully eased to his feet. He winced just slightly as the bulge of his belly met her slender curves, putting the smallest amount of pressure on the throbbing mound. “The best,” he told her, and she beamed softly at his earnest answer.

“I’m glad.” Only after she hugged him tenderly, gently around the waist did the two head off to bed. He fell asleep under her skilled hands, rubbing away the tight tension in his stomach until he’d relaxed entirely. Then she curled up at his side like usual, but this time she didn’t even try to stay awake, his warmth and pillowy softness lulling her into a contented sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry I'm late in updated. I've been busy with work and commissions, so I missed last week's chapter. I hope some nice feeding and belly feels make up for it. TwT
> 
> Edit: I'll be taking a hiatus from this for a bit. Between work and my commissions (and writer's block in general) I'm way too burnt out to continue this at the moment. T^T


	13. Festive Lights

Winter break was in full swing, the weather growing colder by the day and the New Year ringing in as their break reached its halfway point. The upcoming festival had been the talk of the town, and now that the day had finally arrived, the two demons were equally excited. Inviting Meron had been nerve-wracking to say the least, and in the end he’d asked simply if she wanted to go. Not  _ with him _ specifically. Just in general. When she grinned brightly and so adamantly said yes, he felt the knot in his chest unravel. Honestly, he was surprised by just how excited she seemed.

Little did he know just how long it had been since she’d been able to go to a festival. The packed crowds made it stressful for one thing, and the more organized the society of Exorcists became, the more dangerous it was to be caught in a place like that. Now she had nothing to fear in terms of being Exorcised, all thanks to Rin. Her only worry was that she might stick out a bit, considering her sense of style for such an event was probably a bit out of date.

Meanwhile Rin was having wardrobe issues of his own. With the New Year came new weight, more pounds gradually accumulating on his body. He’d still stuck to his guns on deciding not to have Meron alter his clothes anymore, too stubborn for the time being. However, he hadn’t been quite so proactive in his “attempts” to lose weight. It was showing too, and badly.

He was currently regretting his decision in regards to Meron’s assistance more than ever. Of course his first time going out with a girl, and nothing fit him properly. Right now his jeans were the most aggravating thing of all. Just pulling them up over his full thighs had been something of a chore, and even before he could try to button them they dug into his broad hips, flesh oozing out over the waistband.

He huffed softly to himself, his throat feeling tight as he gazed down at his bare stomach spilling forward. It had been a couple weeks since Meron had pointed out his progressing weight gain, and his supposed failure at losing it. Not that he’d really been trying, like he said he would, but they both probably knew that. By then he wasn’t entirely unaware of the reason, either… maybe just unwilling to own up to it.  His birthday feast had just served as more evidence on the matter. 

Now that he had his jeans up as high as he needed them (or at least as high as they would go) he moved both hands to cup and knead into the lowest roll of his belly. Shit. He actually had rolls now. One pudgy ring of flesh padded the area around his ribs and waist, shelving subtly atop the primary bulge of his lower gut. He gulped, shuddering out a ragged breath as he gave his stomach a weak shake between his hands. “Damn it,” he muttered to himself, lifting the heavy swell just slightly before letting go and watching it bounce back into place. Why did that have to be so satisfying?

He shook his head. Meron was probably waiting for him. He shouldn’t keep her, especially since she was so excited. It was frustrating having to bury his hands under his muffin top just to find the button of his jeans, and even more so to realize how much space was between it and its corresponding hole. He gave a good, hard yank, sucking in his gut and struggling to fasten his pants; he couldn’t help but watch, intrigued by the way his efforts made the extra fat of his stomach mold and squish between his forearms.

It took a good three or four valiant, but failed attempts before he managed, not that there was a lot of victory in it. The button dug into and burned against his flesh, and he didn’t even dare to guess how many sizes too small his jeans might’ve been. There was even the very real fear that if he relaxed too much, the button might just snap apart; that thought made him feel hot and tingly for reasons he didn’t want to think about. He found his uniform belt and slipped it on for good measure, but even that was uncomfortably small. At least it wouldn’t come apart.

There was no need for a mirror for him to know just how ridiculous his pants probably looked. He was spilling out of them at every opportunity, every roll and curve exaggerated by the tight fit. At least it was cold out, so he could cover up in multiple layers. One long-sleeved shirt, a hoodie, and a winter vest later he felt a little less exposed. Not that anything could hide how big he’d managed to get. As he ran his hands carefully down his bulky middle, he briefly wondered how heavy he’d gotten. Was he forty pounds heavier? fifty? What if it was even more than that…?

He felt way too warm. Meron. She was waiting. He huffed out a short, nervous sigh before heading for the door, trying not to think about how every step made his thighs rub together, the seams of his pants straining and whining against his mass. He made his way carefully down the steps, only to halt in his tracks when he saw her waiting.

She looked like something out of a story book. From head to toe she was decked out in traditional, Japanese attire, from the ornaments carefully pinning up her hair all the way down to her tall, lacquered sandals and warm socks. The tip of her tail twitched eagerly as it lolled out from under the hem of her ornately patterned kimono. She was pacing back and forth, but she stopped and turned towards him when she sensed his approach. 

He couldn’t help his wide eyes or the slight slackness of his jaw. Apparently his countenance unnerved her as she glanced away. “Is it too old fashioned?” she asked with a nervous chuckle, opting to tug and brush idly at the fuzzy shawl wrapped around her shoulders. “I feel a bit overdressed now…”

“No,” he assured her, digging his hands into the pocket at the front of his pullover hoodie. “It’s fine. You look good.” It was a simple compliment, something he shouldn’t have felt embarrassed about saying, but he did anyway.

She smiled thankfully, seeming relieved. “If you say so,” she murmured, clutching her little drawstring purse tightly in both hands. “Well… if you’re ready, so am I.”

He nodded, leading the way out the front door and holding it open for her. “Sorry I took so long,” he mumbled once they were both out in the chilly air, sunset just beginning to dye the sky fiery shades of orange and pink. “I know you’re lookin’ forward to this.”

“I am,” she agreed with an unconscious smile, showing off her fangs as she so rarely did. “I’m nervous, but in a good way. I haven’t been to a festival in at least a hundred years… maybe more. I guess I’ve kind of lost track of the time.”

_ A hundred years? _ It was so easy to forget how old she really was. Actually, he didn’t even know her exact age. At least a hundred years, apparently. It seemed rude to ask, though, so he kept his stupid mouth shut on the matter. Instead he just nodded, resisting the urge to loop his arm around her. Silly as it was, he couldn’t shake how much this felt like a date. His first date.  _ Ever. _ He swallowed down a forming lump in his throat.

They were both comfortably quiet on the walk into town, then during the wait at the bus stop. There were quite a few people, most likely headed for the festival just like them. It made Meron a bit fidgety, and the only way Rin knew to comfort her was to ball his hand firmly around hers, so small and delicate in comparison. She didn’t protest, just smiled mildly; he didn’t let go, even as the bus pulled up. He lead her on, and they were both thankful for the continued contact when they saw how packed it was.

All the seats were occupied, and there wasn’t much room to stand either. It just made Rin painfully aware of how much space he took up now, unable to move more than a foot or two without brushing or bumping some stranger with his generous backside or protruding gut. Each time he did, he flushed darkly and mumbled an apology, grateful to finally find a place to stand and a handle to grab onto as it hung from the roof of the bus. It was the only one available, not that Meron would’ve been able to reach even if there’d been another.

“I don’t want you falling,” he told her simply as she seemed to stand contentedly by him, keeping her hands to herself and leaving a margin of space between them. “You can just… hold onto me, if you need to.” She didn’t even get the chance to agree or object as the bus stuttered and jolted into motion, the slight force knocking her into him. On instinct his arm wrapped around her, one hand holding her waist while the other gripped his handlebar a little tighter.

“... Good idea,” she finally agreed, stepping an inch closer and accepting his stability. “Thanks.” She shifted her pouch to sling over her wrist, leaving her hands free to curl into the thick fabric of his hoodie. For stability, obviously. His arm hugged tighter around her, pinning her to his plush shape. He wasn’t holding on incredibly tightly, but he didn’t have to. Despite all of his pliancy he was as firm and sturdy as ever underneath. If she let her head rest peacefully against his dense, pillowy chest, he didn’t seem to mind.

They stayed like that until they reached their stop, and once again Rin took her by the hand to lead her off and ensure they didn’t get separated. From there it was a short walk to the festival, and Meron seemed to vibrate with anticipation just upon seeing the grounds, let alone even entering them. The glow of the lanterns drew her gaze, the lights reflecting in her pale eyes even from a distance.

“C’mon,” Rin urged, giving her hand a little squeeze. “It’ll look even cooler on the inside.” 

She nodded, taking quick steps to keep up with his longer, more even strides. Sure enough the lively atmosphere was infectious as they entered the festival grounds. The lights and smells and people all seemed to divide her attention in so many different ways, like a child seeing it all for the first time. It was as exhilarating as it was unnerving. At least all the people seemed to be in high spirits, and that in turn overpowered any distress she might’ve felt otherwise.

Of course Rin was eager to check out the many food stalls. As the two mingled around, there was rarely a point where he didn’t have some kind of snack in hand. Between all the fried treats and sweet confections he was more than content. Even Meron couldn’t resist one of her own, the two of them enjoying a couple of candied apples as he showed her around the festival grounds. The sugary glaze melted on his tongue, perfectly complimenting the crisp, slightly tart inner core of the fruit itself. Before he’d even finished it he found himself distracted by the scent wafting from a nearby taiyaki stand. 

“You like the custard filled ones, right?” Meron asked, drawing his gaze. She was nibbling gradually on her apple, and only then did he realize their fingers were still tangled together. Had they been like that all night? Come to think of it, her hands felt a bit cold. He held on tighter as he nodded. “I’ve never had them.”

If he was debating it before, he was pretty much sold now. “They’re really good,” he told her with a grin, finishing off his apple in a few quick, clean bites before leading the way over to the stand. Just as he was about to order two, Meron gave his hand a tug to get his attention.

“We can just share one,” she told him simply, already knowing his plan. “If that's okay. I only want a bite or two.”

He stalled for a brief second, feeling warmth pool in his cheeks despite the frigid air. It made the skin there prickle, and he could only imagine how silly he must’ve looked, turning positively pink over something so trivial. “R-right. Just one then.” He took the taiyaki with a grateful nod before going to find a bench to rest at. It was the first he’d sat down all night, and the tightness in his jeans made him go a bit rigid with nerves; he felt ready to pop, and he could only hope she couldn’t tell.

As if to make things worse, the seat was a bit small, squeezing them close together between the armrests. Ignoring the sharp cut of his belt into his underbelly and the straining seams around his ample ass, he slipped the wrapping carefully down to reveal the steaming pastry before taking a generous bite. The fresh warmth didn’t bother him compared to the rich, sweet flavor flooding his mouth. Then he paused midchew, lowering the taiyaki so she could take it if she wanted. “Here. Just be careful: it’s hot.”

She nodded, but instead of taking the pastry in her hand she just leaned into him and opened her mouth to take a bite. Both her hands were full, he supposed, one with her candied apple and one with her silk purse. His jaw set in soft surprise, watching her full, pretty lips close around the batter as a bit of pale custard oozed out and stuck to the corner of her mouth. He was reminded of his birthday, when she’d fed him so similarly, and the memory prompted a subtle stir in the pit of his stomach.

She chewed and swallowed, smiling gleefully at the flavor. “It  _ is _ good!” she chirped blithely, only to pause when she felt his thumb swipe slowly, but chastely over her mouth. She blinked in surprise, noticing the way he flushed so brightly and looked dazedly down at her. “Rin…?”

“You were makin’ a mess,” he dismissed, quickly retracting his hand when he realized it was still lingering there, cupping her soft jaw. Without thinking about it, he lapped the creamy filling from his thumb, only to realize a moment too late how close both had been to her mouth. It wasn’t a big deal, he told himself; she’d done pretty much the same thing just a few days ago, after all. It wasn’t like a kiss or anything. “M’glad you like it.”

For a moment she could only stare up at him, her soft skin feeling fuzzy and warm where he’d touched it. Then she nodded, trying to occupy herself and keep her idle mouth busy with another bite from her apple. That seemed to satisfy him, and he continued eating his taiyaki. As she watched him take each bite, she couldn’t help but ogle at the little flicks of his tongue over the custard and crumbs that occasionally stuck to his lips. The flaky batter yielded easily under his sharp fangs, his mouth moving slowly as he chewed and savored the contrasting tastes and textures.

He waited until he’d finished off his taiyaki before hauling himself up from the bench, offering his hand to her again. She linked their fingers without hesitation and stuck close by. “They’ll probably start the fireworks soon,” he told her simply, just to break the awkward silence. Before she could respond, her attention was drawn by the shrill sound of a rocket firing into the air. She looked up to the sky, but Rin tugged at her hand before she got too distracted.

“I know a good place to watch,” he told her, guiding her through the crowd quickly so they wouldn’t miss too much of the light show. The two made their way to the edge of the festival grounds, out to a balcony that overlooked the body of water surrounding the spires and structures of the island city. A few other patrons had gotten a similar idea, but for the most part the view was clear as the fireworks were shot into the distance.

Just as more streaks of light began shooting into the heavens, fine flurries of snow began to spiral down. Meron hardly noticed the flakes, too busy watching in awe as purple, pink, and red stars exploded in the sky, booming and crackling in a symphony. Rin watched too, but he couldn’t help but glimpse down every now and again to watch her eyes widen and light up, reflecting the glittering fireworks like a pale mirror. White, powdery flecks melted on her flushed cheeks and stuck to her thick, feathery lashes.

Before he knew it, he wasn’t watching the fireworks at all. She became the center of his world for that moment, a slight, fond smile twitching persistently on his face as she seemed blissfully unaware of his gaze. Her tiny, but no less firm grip on his hand tightened, and his other one dug deeper into his hoodie pocket. This felt weirdly… romantic, didn’t it? He swallowed a forming lump in his throat as he fought down the urge to pull her close and keep her warm with his embrace.

By the time the fireworks began to ebb, the snow was coming down much more heavily. A light dusting of it crowned her pink head of hair and her shawl, and only then did Rin remove his hand from his pocket to ruffle away some of the fluffy crystals. It drew her surprised gaze, a new, darker shade of pink flooding her cheeks. “Ready to go home?” he asked suddenly, ignoring the frigid flakes clinging to his own skin.

She nodded with a light smile, grasping his hands with both of hers as she gazed up at him. “Thank you for taking me.”

Her earnest gratitude made his stomach knot and flutter, his chest swelling. If only things could be like this all the time: relaxed and affectionate, without any excuses or apologies. Clearing his throat, he dislodged one hand and patted her shoulder gently. “Hey, it’s not a big deal… I wanted to come anyway, and it would’ve sucked if you had to stay home with Mopey Four-Eyes all night.”

It was past midnight by the time they got back to the bus; many of the patrons had headed back a lot earlier, so there were plenty of seats open this time. Rin took one gladly, grunting softly with the force of his hefty weight hitting the bench and immediately regretting his carelessness when he was once again reminded of the snug status of his jeans. She sat down more daintily, but kept close, seemingly unaware of his situation. She was still grasping his hand too. Moreover, she seemed to have no qualms sitting close and leaning into his warmth. Was she dozing off?

When her cheek met the cushion of his chest he twitched a bit. Now was his chance, he supposed, hesitating for the briefest second before detaching their hands and looping his arm around her like he’d wanted to do all night long. She felt so small, dwarfed against his taller, wider shape. If she minded, or if she was even awake, she didn’t stir or complain. So he hugged her a bit closer, glancing down at her once or twice as he tried to stay as casual as possible.

When they reached their stop she seemed to perk back up, and he quickly retracted his arm. He cleared his throat, choosing to believe she’d been unaware of his affections, and stood up without meeting her eyes. Real smooth. Of course she knew better, but she decided it best not to cause him to fluster over it. So she just slipped her palm into his as she got to her feet, the two demons walking the rest of the way back to the dormitory. 

By the time they arrived back home, he felt his stomach aching hungrily and beginning to growl with need; that was pretty embarrassing considering how much he’d stuffed his face with festival food all night. “You never had dinner,” she pointed out, sensing both his hunger and his frustration with the fact. “I can make you something quick before bed, if you’d like.”

Logically he knew he should probably just wait it out until breakfast, considering all the calories he’d consumed at the festival. But a persistent pang in his gut won out, and he nodded as he followed her to the kitchen to take a seat at the table. In the silence he could hear the seams groan around his girth, the buckle of his belt like a harsh brand against his underbelly. He shifted uncomfortably, as if that might alleviate the problem.

“You can undo it if you want,” Meron suggested, making him blink up at her as she set down a steaming bowl of ramen produced from thin air. “It’s been bothering you all night. Now it’s just the two of us, so you should be comfortable. You know I won’t mind.”

It wasn’t about her ‘minding’ though. It was more about his own pride, not wanting to own up to his weakness and his ever expanding size. Still, he sighed relentingly; he was too tired and too hungry to care. Plus it really did hurt. He shrugged off his vest, then struggled with his hoodie after a moment’s hesitation. It was too warm inside to keep them on, especially as anxious heat flooded his body. His shirt clung to the doughy bulge of his stomach, his belt, hidden between his partially exposed muffin top and his wide lap. 

He shifted tensely, just drawing attention to how small the chair felt under his ass. Did she have to watch? The feeling of her eyes made him hesitate to reach for his buckle, like undoing it would be some admission of defeat. It was more of a struggle than he would’ve liked, having to lift up his gut to find the fastening. He released a tiny sigh of relief as the tight, leather band went slack, allowing his belly to pulse slightly forward in his lap. The precarious button of his jeans was all but forgotten by that point.

Meron noticed the strip of skin revealed by the hem of his too-small shirt as it blended backwards into cute love handles pushing out from between the garments. She also noticed the way his belly hid a good portion of his waistband and lap. And he noticed her noticing. “Don’t look at me like that,” he mumbled without any fight to his tone. “I already know I gained more weight, so you don’t hafta rub it in.”

“Sorry,” she soothed weakly as she pushed the bowl closer and perched against the edge of the table beside him. It was hard not to keep looking at him though, especially the way his cotton shirt bunched at his waist and creased around his breasts.  _ You just look so good like this. _ She barely managed to keep those words inside. “You should still eat though. It’s not good for you to go hungry.”

“Doubt I’m in any real danger’a that,” he mused, his tone flat as he splayed one hand against his gut and gave it a pointed, jiggling shake. Her lashes fluttered as the motion drew her gaze, pink warming her cheeks and highlighting her pretty freckles. This time he couldn’t even chastise her for looking; he was the one who’d brought attention to it. He pretended not to notice as he raised his chopsticks to dip into the hot, beef broth and stir lazily at the thick noodles. “Thanks.”

“Of course,” she reassured with quick, chaste stroke through his bangs. “If it bothers you I can go. Watching you eat, I mean.”

It didn’t though. Despite his nerves and his wounded pride, it made him feel oddly… good. Hot, even. She just seemed so enamored, and in such a way that he wasn’t sure if it was humiliating or flattering. Maybe both, if that was possible. Then there was the way she’d fed him a few nights ago. Without speaking, he shook his head dismissively and occupied his mouth with the soft boiled egg in his bowl. She nodded her understanding, staying where she was as she let her festive attire melt into a comfortable set of pajamas. 

He worked his way carefully through his meal, enjoying the generous cuts of beef and the rich, savory flavor in between slurping up mouthfuls of noodles and shiitake mushrooms. Each one warmed him from the inside out, sliding down his throat and gradually filling his stomach. Once the solid ingredients were all gone he took a moment to breathe, belly already a tad swollen. He still had room though.

With a satisfied, albeit shaky sigh, he picked the bowl up with both hands and raised the rim to his lips to drink down the last of its contents. Finely diced green onions and spinach floated in the rich broth for flavor and texture. By that point he could feel his stomach bloat out bit by bit with each gulp of hot liquid, but he didn’t think to slow down, let alone stop. By the time the thought occurred to him it was too late to make much difference.

Meron perked with curiosity when she heard the soft groan of stitches, one that seemed to crescendo with each thick swallow of broth. He wasn’t even aware of it until it graduated into a sharp snap that echoed in the near silence of the dining area. The second the button gave way and his fly split apart, his belly surged forward and bounced stiffly in his lap now that there was little containing it. The hem of his shirt was forced to roll upwards and further expose him, and he nearly choked on his final mouthful. 

He just about dropped the bowl against the table as he went frantically reaching for the busted fastening, red dying his cheeks as his brows pinched and his lips trembled. “Shit,” he hissed, and she wasn’t sure if it was due to the embarrassment building in him or the fullness beginning to dully ache in his belly. He tried in vain to yank down his shirt, having to hold it in place just to keep it from slipping back up again as he stumbled to his feet, managing to both bump the table in his haste and knock his chair backwards with his ample backside.

“Rin.” He jolted when he heard Meron’s even voice, then again when he felt her hand cup his belly. Despite the cool, silken skin of her palm the touch burned, but not in a bad way. “Are you okay?”

He knew she didn’t want him to be upset. But the thing was, he didn’t even know if he  _ was _ upset in the first place. It was just shocking. And humiliating. And exciting. He shivered as her fingertips ghosted over the exposed strip of skin that even holding his shirt down couldn’t hide. He swallowed thickly, biting his lip as he managed a short, weak nod, if not just to keep her from worrying. “M’fine,” he told her. “I just… can’t believe I’ve gotten this big.”

She nodded, doing her best to sort through his feelings as well as her own. It was a lot to process, and it didn’t help that his mind was still reeling. “I can fix it if you want. The button, I mean. There’s nothing I can do about…  _ this _ .” She made her point clear as she gave his belly roll a gentle, maybe even loving shake. It felt so good, the flesh melting into her palm like warm putty as it rippled with the soft force. “Not permanently anyway. But I can at least make you comfortable.”

He shook his head, still maintaining a shred of pride and nearly glossing over that vague statement: ‘ _ not permanently _ .’ What did she mean by that? At the moment he didn’t have the heart to ask. “I might not lose the weight,” he finally conceded after weeks of denial, “but I should deal with it myself… School starts back up in a couple days, so I’ll ask for a bigger uniform then. And I have some money saved up to get new clothes.”

Meron sighed patiently and offered a placating rub to his stomach, then up to his chest to stroke over his sternum between his perky breasts. “If you say so. I’m sure it won’t be a very fun conversation,” she said with a weak chuckle, prompting a half-amused, half-annoyed scoff from him. “For now you should get some rest.”

“Yeah,” he agreed, holding her wrist before she could pull away from him and pressing her palm deeper into the padding of his chest. She didn’t fight him, seeming happy to press closer before guiding him up to bed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, I'm not dead! Neither is this fic. It's been a hot minute, but here we are, and with a long chapter as reparation. I've finally caught up on things enough to be more comfortable with writing casual stuff again. Thank you for still following after my time away!


	14. Breaking Point

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Some plot to start but there'll be a fun payoff, I promise XD

Just as he’d expected, requesting a new uniform had been like pulling teeth. It was the first day back from their winter break, and Rin had gone to see Mephisto in between his regular classes and Cram School. As always Meron was with him, but she made quiet company, her head low and body a bit tense. She was always that way around other Exorcists though, and especially her direct “king.” For the time being she hung back a foot or two, her hands clasped together behind her back and her tail wrapped safely around her thigh.

“A new uniform?” Mephisto asked coyly, raising a quizzical eyebrow. He folded his hands together on his desk, his eyes making pointed glances up and down Rin’s heavier shape. “What would you possibly need that for?”

Rin’s jaw twitched in irritation, heat washing over his face and down his neck. As if the reason wasn’t obvious. There were visible gaps between the buttons of his shirt, barely disguised by the white tee beneath it to avoid revealing glimpses of his pale, pudgy skin. The hem was too strained to be tucked into the tight, cutting band of his slacks, his pant-legs clung to his thighs, and his belt was on its last notch. It was painfully obvious, but clearly he was going to be forced to spell it out if he wanted the issue resolved. 

“Didn’t know you were half-blind,” he grumbled under his breath, struggling to fit his hands into his pants pockets. They were so tight he could barely manage it. “I outgrew this one… it’s too small, and I need one that fits, okay?”

Mephisto gave a low chuckle of amusement, his fangs glinting. “Ah, right. That. I should’ve guessed as much.” It was just too much fun watching the boy squirm and fluster. “It seems your habits have caught up to you pretty quickly. I did try to warn you.” His acidic green gaze slid past him to look at Meron, still clinging close by the door. The way she seemed to shrink under his assessment made him grin a bit wider. “An even trade, I suppose. You and your contract seems to have made her quite docile.”

“I haven’t  _ made _ her anything,” Rin scoffed dismissively, crossing his arms over his broad belly and narrowing his eyes. “And there’s no contract. So can I get new clothes or not?”

“Something as trivial as that? Of course,” Mephisto finally answered with a little roll of his eyes, his smirk never faltering. “I can have a custom one in by the end of the week. I trust you’ll try not to outgrow it too quickly.”

A custom one? A  _ week? _ How was he supposed to go a week with a uniform he could barely get into? He was already so paranoid about bursting out of it. Maybe it was his own fault for waiting this long, but that didn’t mean he’d accept it so easily.  “Why does it have to be custom? I need it sooner than that,” he argued weakly, his tail lashing as his shoulders hunched with discomfort.

“I’m afraid we don’t have any on hand that are big enough for your current…  _ stature _ . Perhaps you should’ve thought of that before getting too comfortable with your new familiar. Being the son of Satan doesn’t mean you get any special treatment.” He stood up, locking eyes with Rin once more before circling around to the front of his desk. “You can go now. Leave your little succubus, though. I’d like a word with her.”

“Like hell,” Rin bit back, his brows furrowing cautiously. “First off, she’s not  _ mine. _ Second, whatever it is you two need to talk about-”

“I’m afraid it’s a private matter, my boy,” Mephisto cut in sharply, his lolling tone becoming slightly more crisp. “You can wait outside if you must.”

Rin was going to insist further, but Meron stepped up and put her hand against his back reassuringly before he could. “It’s okay,” she told him with a quiet sigh. “I’ll be fine.” Despite her brave tone, he could see the inkling of nervousness in her eyes as her lips pursed.

He glared between the both of them, his suspicion trained on Mephisto and concern flooding his gaze towards Meron. With a tense huff, he raised his hands in mocking surrender as he took a step back towards the door. “Fine. At least promise me she’s not in trouble or anything.”

“Not at all,” Mephisto assured him with a casual wave, leaning back against the edge of his grand desk. “Just a little interview is all. Think of it as an evaluation of her progress, just to make sure she can still be trusted.”

As much as Rin didn’t like the sound of that, Meron’s gaze urged him to go. She’d be fine, her eyes seemed to insist. His teeth clicked in nervous annoyance as he turned around and trudged his way out of the office, but remained nearby in case anything were to happen. He wormed his hands into his pockets once again, leaning against the wall and tapping his foot impatiently. Although he wanted to listen in, it proved impossible; of course the sneaky bastard would have sound-proof doors.

Meron had watched him go, waiting until the door shut behind him before turning to face her supposed king. While she held no conscious loyalty towards him, let alone any kind of fondness, every fiber of her being was screaming at her to submit and cower before him. It felt similar to her link with Rin, but without the same familiarity or affection. Something about his intense aura just put her on edge, with or without his cartoonish facade.

“You seem to be getting along rather well,” he remarked, circling her idly as if to inspect her in her entirety. “Still enjoying your prey, apparently. You certainly are taking your time with him.”

“Don’t call him that,” she snapped, if meekly. She felt like a scared puppy with her tail between her legs, but at least she could still bark. “There’s little that goes on in this city that you don’t see, right? So you should know better than anyone that I don’t mean him any harm.”

“Obviously not,” he agreed with an amused smirk, stopping to loom in front of her. “Otherwise you’d have done him harm by now, if you could. You’ve had plenty of opportunity to do what your kind does best, and yet you’ve hesitated at every turn. So I have to wonder, what  _ are  _ your intentions? You’ve stuck around an awfully long time without any apparent goal.” 

Just as she began to open her mouth to answer, he held up a finger to silence her, grinning wide to reveal his vicious fangs. “And don’t give me the same excuse as last time. You’d survived long enough on your own, and without any protection from Exorcists, so there must be more to it than that. I thought that bit about feeling human had been some kind of silly joke… don’t tell me you were serious.” His eyes narrowed, an icy mirth painting the sharp features of his expression. “Is it possible that the son of Satan has managed to seduce the seductress?”

She took an instinctive step back as he suddenly leaned in closer and stroked up her neck to cup her chin. Tension pricked at her chest. Not only did his accuracy terrify her, it was only compounded by the fact that she couldn’t read him. He wasn’t human after all; not even half, like Rin. His emotions and thoughts were cryptic to her, and the uncertainty sent an anxious chill down her spine. “Why do you care?” she murmured, cursing the timid shake of her voice. “If you know I’m not a threat then what does it matter why I’m staying?”

“It’s rather simple,” he assured her with a shrug and a taunting wink. “This little soap opera of yours is entertaining, and I’m intrigued to see how it will all play out. Will the unwitting hero and heroine’s fates finally intertwine? Or will they stay locked in this hopeless limbo?”

“You’re just toying with me,” she spat, grinding her teeth as his mockingly theatrical words tightened the knot in her chest and made her stomach turn. “With both of us.”

“Indeed.” He gave her a short, appraising glance, his brow quirking curiously but his smirk never wavering. “But aren’t  _ you _ toying with  _ him _ as well? It isn’t as if you have any right acting so indignant. After all, you can sense every little thing that pops through that silly little head of his. You know his feelings and you know yours, so what’s stopping you?”

Her fists balled at her sides, the coil of her tail tightening defensively. “It should be obvious,” she muttered, finally breaking his gaze. It felt like truly surrendering. “If you know that I can read him, then you know how the rest of my powers work too. You know everything about me. I bond to a human host and seduce them against their will. I won’t take advantage of  _ ‘feelings’ _ that aren’t even real.”

He blinked widely, seeming genuinely intrigued by that. “Aren’t real, you say?” he mused, his former, cool countenance returning in an instant. “So you believe his attachment is purely an illusion. That you, a lowly succubus, have managed to charm the son of Satan himself. Is that right?” Her unamused glower made it clear that, yes, that was the case, and she was growing impatient with this charade. “An interesting hypothesis. You’re excused.”

To say she was puzzled would’ve been an understatement. Her curiosity was no match for her relief at being released though, and she had to fight just to keep from bolting out of the room like a frightened cat. What had he meant by all that? Had he meant anything at all, or was he just trying to mess with her head? The door closed loudly behind her, and Rin was by her side so quickly that it startled her.

“Well?” he asked, his expression pinched with mild concern. On the surface he was simply relieved that nothing seemed to have happened, but beneath that there was anxiety involving what exactly had been discussed. “What did the clown want, anyway?”

She stared him up and down, locking onto his thoughts and feelings and reading him as easily as a book, as if to make sure she still had her wits about her.  _ The son of Satan himself. _ The implications of that lingered heavily on her mind, but she managed to dismiss them as she shook her head placatingly. No, at the end of the day he was human. Certainly more human than demon. If she could read him, she thought, then she could charm him too. End of story.

“It was nothing,” she assured him, reaching for his hand to stroke her thumb comfortingly over his knuckles; he seemed reluctant to accept that, but nodded nonetheless. “We should go. We’re already running late for Cram School.”

* * *

It seemed like some kind of miracle, but Rin managed to get through the bulk of the week without incident. That didn’t mean he loved the attention such a visibly small uniform earned him from both his daytime peers and his friends at Cram School. Shima and Bon (mostly Shima) had tried and failed not to tease him, but the occasional comment usually found its way out. Their intentions were never mean-spirited, but it still had Rin flustering and fuming, only for the two culprits to be chided into submission by Konekomaru or Shiemi. Meron still hadn’t the courage to speak up much around his friends, though.

At least Friday rolled around without him humiliating himself too badly. Pointed glances and joking remarks aside, it was a pretty normal week without incident, despite his fears. Even his white tee couldn’t hide the widening gaps between each button of his shirt, and he was honestly amazed they’d held up thus far. The fabric creased and bunched as it attempted to stretch around his broad form, and his pants were skin-tight too. Even worse, a strip of his pale, doughy underbelly now spilled out between the two garments.

It was nerve wracking, but he made it. His new uniform would be waiting for him by the time he got back home.

Maybe his relief made him drop his guard a little. All week he’d been nursing the abused uniform, each movement careful under the taut confines of stiff fabric. The seams whined from the pressure, the buttons creaking as they were pulled apart by his mass, especially when he sat and his belly pooled in his lap. The week had been long, but it was finally over and he could finally relax. That’s what he thought, anyway.

It was during the last of his daytime classes that things took a turn for the worst. He’d been fidgeting a bit in his seat, as had become commonplace. Not only did the chair feel a bit dwarfed under his abundant backside, his clothes were just so infuriatingly tight. It was making it hard to focus, and not just because of his discomfort. He swallowed as his eyes wandered from following along in his textbook down to the modest bulge of his upper rolls shelving themselves on the desktop, the edge of the table indenting firmly into his stomach.

Fangs caught his lip, his fingers twitching as he resisted the urge to dip his fingers into it. For a moment he was strangely, unwittingly enamored with the sight of the overencumbered fastenings. A bit too enamored. In his slight haze, the simple sound of the teacher tapping the board at the front of the room made him jolt, bumping the table with enough force to send his pencil rolling to the floor. He gave it no thought as he leaned over to retrieve it, his changing posture making his gut bulge and every seam whimper with the added stress. 

The button poised at the crest of his belly gave one final, quiet shriek before its valiant efforts proved fruitless, and a sharp  _ snap _ echoed in the near-silent room, followed by the light clatter of plastic hitting the hardwood floor. He tensed, his posture hunched with guilt as the instructor paused and looked curiously for the source of the sound. His cheeks were ablaze with red-hot embarrassment as he watched the escaped button roll lazily away, leaving behind a much wider gap in his shirt. Pursing his trembling lips, he sat bolt upright in an attempt to act as if nothing had happened. 

As if things couldn’t get any worse, his quick scoot closer to the desk prompted a short, but no less pointed sound of rending stitches. He felt a sudden, albeit subtle looseness in his pant leg, and he didn’t dare look to see the damage. Not that he needed to; he could feel the doughy flesh oozing out of the inseam of his slacks, right where the rub of his thick thighs had worn the fabric and seams down the most. If the interruption of his button bursting off hadn’t drawn the attention of his instructor and peers, that certainly had. Why did it have to seem so loud?

Everything was a blur as he fumbled out of his seat to make a mad dash towards the door and out into the hallway. He kept his arms folded protectively around his middle as he made a beeline towards the nearest restroom to lock himself inside and try to recover. His breathing felt tight and ragged in his chest, panting with the rush of his frantic escape. The door slammed shut as he braced his back against it, safely inside the boys’ room and away from unwanted stares.

Directly across from him was the full length mirror. His eyes blinked open wide as he noticed his reflection, as if it was the first time he’d truly seen himself in months. Maybe it was; he didn’t exactly keep many mirrors around, certainly not ones large enough to show much past his shoulders. Even with the distance he could see the red dying his face all the way to the pointed tips of his ears, and he warily trudged closer to get a better look.

Shit. He knew he’d gotten bigger, but this was almost too eye-opening. He stared himself down, his eyes wandering from the rounded shape of his chin, down the tight creases crossing over his breasts to the mound of his gut, then back up again. His lips parted as he shuddered out a weak breath, one hand smoothing down the strip of his cotton undershirt now that his stiff button-up had relented and revealed more of it. He kept moving it lower until he was cupping his exposed overhang in his palm.

Soon both hands were supporting the weight of his tummy, squeezing and rolling the flesh roughly as he truly processed just how much there was. Enough to break through his uniform and trip at the fucking finish line, apparently. Couldn’t have made it one more day, could he? He growled out a rough sigh, his brows pinching in frustration. The real question was what  _ kind _ of frustration, he realized as he noted the throbbing knot between his legs, pressing even further against its confines. As if his pants weren’t tight enough already.

He was getting fat. Not just a bit chubby anymore. The thought dried out his mouth, and he nearly choked as he tried to swallow. His gut wobbled in his curious hands as he bounced the flesh between them, noticing the way the rolls of his stomach naturally squashed his belly button into a wide v-shape, noticeable even through his under shirt. “Fuck,” he whispered, practically  _ whined _ as he gave himself another rough shake, so conflicted between embarrassment and exhileration.

There wasn’t much time for him to decide which emotion was stronger, the dismissal bell ringing out in the hallway. His muscles went immediately rigid, his hands moving quickly away from the fleshy swell of his belly as he dashed into a stall before anyone could walk in. Classes were letting out for the day, and everyone would be heading off campus; but he and Meron still had Cram School to go to. 

Shit. He’d left Meron behind. 

He cursed under his breath, glaring once again at the cause of his panicked fit. He tried to breathe deeply and calm himself before he was deafened by his pounding heart once again. She was smart, he assured himself; she’d come find him. For the moment, though, he was far too mortified to take a step. Not until he was sure most of the other students had already gone home.

Meron wasn’t sure if she was nervous because Rin was, or because he’d left her alone. Without him by her side she felt exposed and vulnerable. The moment class let out she hopped up from her seat and let his natural magnetism guide her. When she reached the boys’ restroom she had to force herself not to simply barge inside, waiting patiently next to the door and watching the crowds of students flood through the hallways and out of the building. Several moments passed, and he still hadn’t emerged; his energy was so muddled and anxious too.

The halls were nearly deserted by the time she decided she could wait no longer. She gave a single knock on the door before pushing inside, sensing nobody else in the bathroom. Her eyes searched for him until she saw his shoes peering out from under one of the stall doors. “Rin?” she asked, drawing a startled gasp from the stall. “Relax, it’s just me.”

“You can’t be in here!” he hissed, fumbling to unlock the door and poke his head out. His face was so red, and his expression so pitiful. He bit his lip roughly when he forced himself to meet her patient eyes, still hiding behind the door; she probably already knew what was wrong, but he wasn’t sure he wanted her to see. “J-just… go wait outside.”

Her brows furrowed weakly, her lips pursing as she crossed her arms under her bust. “Rin, it’s okay. I can fix it if you’ll come out and let me.” 

He wasn’t sure he wanted her to fix it though, both due to his pride and the sheer exhilaration of the matter. A meek growl rumbled in his throat as he sighed, pushing the door open and taking a timid step or two out. As if he wasn’t already flustered, the fact that the frame of the narrow stall door brushed his hips now didn’t help; how long would it be until he got stuck there…? 

He shook the thought away just as it made his throat clamp tightly shut, his heart kicking and another rush of blood flooding southwards. Having her look at him like this was just the cherry on top. The second her gaze fell to his ruined shirt he shuddered, trying to deny the way her bright flush and fluttering eyes triggered his libido. He squirmed his thighs together to try and dissuade the building hormones between them, only to be reminded of the hole he’d blown at the seams.

“Just this once,” he croaked, his hands balling in and out of fists at his sides, awaiting her touch as she took a step closer. After all, he couldn’t go through the rest of his day with his uniform looking like that. As always her slim, doll-like fingers sank deeply into his gut (maybe deeper than necessary), prompting him to twitch with nerves and from the sensation. Her eyes stayed fixed on her work, drawing his own as he watched his clothes mend themselves thanks to her magic. “... Did anyone notice?” he asked suddenly, his voice sounding meager and strangled.

Her minty eyes glanced carefully up at him, haloed by her dark lashes. She smoothed her hand down the front of his body now that his clothes had righted themselves, including the split in his pant leg; if he noticed that they were slightly looser, just enough to avoid another incident, he made no remark on the matter. “... Do you really want to know?”

“I’ll take that as a yes,” he grumbled, rubbing the back of his neck with one hand while the other tugged and fiddled with the repaired buttons of his shirt. Her hand still lingered in place, the pressure tingling through his layers and making him nibble his lip. Why wasn’t she moving? Why was she still touching him like that…?

Meron shrugged, moving closer to circle her arms around him in a comforting hug. She could just barely reach all the way around his waist, forcing her to hold him even more tightly to manage as much. His body was rigid at first, but he relaxed marginally as he let his hands rest between her shoulderblades, allowing her to sink into his pillowy form. “It doesn’t matter,” she soothed as she rested her cheek against his chest.

She heard his heart pounding beneath his ribs as his fingers fidgeted and curled into her knitted vest, unwittingly pulling her even tighter into his pliant flesh. “Guess not… nothin’ I can do about it right now, anyway.” That made him pause though, and he remembered something she’d said after the festival. The  _ last  _ time he’d managed to break an article of clothing with his girth alone. “That reminds me… what’d you mean the other night?”

She looked up at him mildly, inching just slightly away so she wouldn’t have to crane her neck so harshly to do so. One of her brows piqued quizzically. “The other night? What do you mean?”

He cleared his throat uncomfortably, untangling one hand to grip pointedly at the lower roll of his belly. “ _ This _ . You said you couldn’t do anything about it. Not ‘permanently.’ What did you mean by that?” Even he wondered why he was asking at all.

“Oh,” she murmured, fidgeting her weight from foot to foot. “That. I just meant that any illusion I could put on you would only be temporary.”

Right. He remembered her mentioning something about illusions. “You can put an illusion on me? Like… you could make me look different?”

“ _ Temporarily _ ,” she added a bit more insistently, her brows furrowing with a hint of uncertain concern. “I can change things’ forms to a certain extent, like when I fix your clothes or alter my own. Trying that on a person can be tricky though, and it wouldn’t last more than a couple hours anyway… why do you ask?” 

The solemn look in her eyes and the purse of her lips made his chest twist. She knew why. He couldn’t deny that the thought had occurred to him: somehow returning to his old size (or even just a size or two smaller), just to save himself a bit of grief. Obviously she could tell that’s what he’d been thinking, and she didn’t seem to like it one bit. She hated that he might want to change himself for anyone.

“No reason,” he assured her, and deep down he meant it. The idea wasn’t one he’d considered for more than a moment. Maybe because he didn’t like the notion of using her like that, or… maybe because he just  _ liked _ being bigger. Being thick and plush.  _ Comfortable _ , as Meron had so aptly put it. If there was one thing he was sure of, it was that he definitely liked the way his body molded around her, and the way his soft warmth lulled her to sleep. “Just wonderin’. You’re really vague and weird sometimes, so it’s not my fault if I get confused.”

She seemed to consider him carefully before offering a soft smile. “I guess you’re right,” she chuckled, her voice a bit airy as she recollected herself. “I’m not always very direct. Sorry.” After a mild sigh, she managed a wider smile that revealed her pearly fangs. “I want to be clear about this though: there isn’t a single thing you need to change. Maybe I’m biased though: I like you this way. I'd like you no matter what.”

A warm shudder ran through him, his stomach twisting with repressed affection. He couldn’t help wondering what exactly she meant by that: liked him in what way? His heart drummed rapidly, swelling almost painfully in his chest. Without thinking, his arms reached out to hug her tightly, almost lifting her small form off the ground in his dopamine-powered elation. She gasped sharply, her arms looping around him for balance rather than trying to resist his embrace. 

“Thanks, Meron,” he hummed into her soft, pink crown of hair, right between her horns. “You’re the best.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading, as always! I'm so happy to be back to this after such a long hiatus. TvT
> 
> Also, some foreshadowing for some future... "illusion" shenanigans ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)


	15. Time to Reflect

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the delay; I was sick for like a week and then had a lot of work to catch up on. Enjoy a bit of self-love for the time being!

“A mirror?”

Rin knew it was a weird thing to ask for, but since first seeing himself in the boy’s restroom he couldn’t get the idea out of his head. Maybe it was just morbid curiosity, but seeing his own size in full had gotten to him in a way he couldn’t explain. Not that he’d tell Meron the exact reason. 

“Yeah,” he mumbled sheepishly, rubbing the back of his neck as he avoided her gaze. “I just wanna make sure I don’t go out looking ridiculous, since most of my clothes are getting so small.”

Meron leaned her hip against his desk, having just returned a handful of his manga volumes and placed them on the nearby shelf. Before she could even turn towards him he’d voiced his odd request, garnering her attention anew. It had been on his mind here and there, a vague thought she could just pick up on, and she knew that the reason he’d given wasn’t the whole truth. She also knew better than to call him out on that. 

“I see,” she began, looking over his flushed, rounded cheeks. “Yeah, I’m sure I could manage that.”

“Only if it isn’t a pain,” he insisted, finally looking up now that she’d agreed. “I was just curious…”

“Making one big enough might not be the easiest,” she admitted with a shrug and a patient smile, “but I can do it. A higher level succubus would have no trouble with something like that... some can even make things as big as cars without breaking a sweat.”

“So you must be pretty weak,” he mused with a gently teasing grin, unable to keep from laughing at the indignant look she shot him as she crossed her arms under her bust. Her cheeks turned a shade similar to that of her hair, lips pursing in a pout. “Hey, you pretty much said it yourself. You can only make stuff your size, right?”

“Approximately,” she corrected with an insulted little sigh, glancing away. “I can go a bit bigger, it’s just kind of tiring. Anyway, if you’re going to make fun of me, I don’t see why I should.”

“Hey, don’t be like that,” he whined in dismay, getting up and squishing her cheeks playfully between his hands. Her skin usually felt silky and cool, but right now it was burning hot against palms. He couldn’t deny that it was cute. “I was just playing around. You’re usually such a good sport too!”

“Fine,” she sighed as she reached up to grip his wrists and gently move his hands down. Then she turned to the barren wall between his bedframe and the door, tilting her head while she analyzed the space. That'd do. Before she could begin her task, she paused and turned to look at him over her shoulder. “This might make me a bit dizzy, so… do you think you could…?”

He blinked, taking a moment to put two and two together as she trailed off. Then he brightened a bit as it all clicked together. “Right,” he answered, stepping closer to hover about a foot behind her, just in case. “No problem.”

She nodded her thanks, then turned back towards the spot and focused. Dark, glittering smoke spiraled down to coat a long, rectangular section of the wall, then gradually cleared to reveal a simple, full-length mirror hanging in the previously empty space. Just as she’d expected, the exertion made sparks light up in her vision as she wobbled unsteadily on her feet. Barely a second passed before the space behind her was filled by Rin’s plush form, both hands on her shoulders to balance her.

“M’okay,” she mumbled, brushing through her soft, pink fringe as she righted herself. “Thank you. Will that work?”

“Yeah!” he assured her brightly, bending forward a bit and looping his arms around her waist in a familial hug. Or at least, it was supposed to be. “It’s perfect. Thanks, Meron!” 

He grinned down at her brightly, then followed her curious gaze back to the mirror as it hung adjacent to them. His smile went a bit slack, his expression going thoughtful and cheeks warming as he took in their reflection. Compared to her, he really did look big, his shape like a broad background to her slender, feminine curves. Tall and wide, his round chin rested comfortably atop the crown of her head, framed by her horns, as his belly perfectly bulged out against the inward slope of her spine. Their eyes met in the mirror, pale green against deep, oceanic blue.

He let go quickly and took a clumsy step back, realizing the undeniably amorous way he’d been holding her. And the way her full breasts had shelved themselves heavily on his forearms. Modestly as she dressed, it was easy to forget how endowed she actually was. The thought just made him feel hot with guilt, and he gulped down the rock lodged stiffly in his throat. “Thanks,” he repeated, his tone a bit more subdued as she turned to face him. “Sorry if it wore you out.”

After looking him over for a minute and reading the confliction in his energy, she offered a sweet, if hesitant smile and shook her head. “I’m fine,” she reassured him, turning towards the door with a wave. “I’m going to go check on the laundry, okay?”

Rin could only offer a numb nod, watching her leave up until the heart-shaped tip of her tail disappeared behind the door. Once it had shut softly after her, he found his gaze sliding back to his reflection in the mirror. He bit his lip softly as he took in the details of his shape, now with plenty of time to do so without too much fear of being interrupted. His hands roamed freely, first to cup his pudgy pectorals and give them a few testing squeezes.   


His throat felt tight, a tingly rush flooding southwards through his stomach. After a moment of his experimental fondling he let his palms trail down to his belly, pressing and kneading into it and watching in the mirror. Fuck. There was a lot of him… more than he’d realized. He gripped his muffin top with both hands and gave it a shake, watching breathlessly as the movement made his whole body ripple. A shuddery sigh escaped him, and it was impulse when he raised the hem of his shirt before repeating the action again, the bare, pale flesh wobbling buoyantly in his hands.

Then a new bout of curiosity hit him, something he hadn’t really thought about before: even without a mirror he’d at least had an idea of what he looked like from the front, thanks to his own aerial perspective. But what about from behind…? He gulped down a lump in his throat at the thought, hesitating a few seconds before turning his back to the mirror and peering over his shoulder, only to feel a hot flash of sensation in his core. Fucking hell, he’d gotten wide. Suddenly it was up for debate what had gotten fatter: his gut or his ass.

With a conflicted little groan under his breath he reached back with both hands to cup and grip and claw into his own ample backside as it strained in his jeans. They were even kind of new too, but that apparently didn’t matter much. He looked kind of suffocated in them, little love handles oozing over the waistband and easily visible with his shirt pulled up the way it was. The denim stretched taut around his ass, full and rounded as it tapered down into thick thighs that took up every seat he sat in and rubbed together when he walked. 

An image flashed through his brain: that wide ass of his lodged in a doorframe, hopelessly stuck.

He noticed his tail shiver a bit with the pleasured vibrations ricocheting up and down is spine, especially when he held a good fistful of his ass, despite its stiff confines, and gave it a rough knead and shake. By the time he met his own eyes in the mirror again they were hazy and hooded, his face flushed and lips parted as he panted lightly from his own ministrations. His pants were feeling really tight, and in more ways than one. If this was enough to get him hot and bothered, he could only imagine what  _ her _ touches might do to him.

Only with that thought was he broken out of his trance, retracting his hands from his broad curves and clearing his throat softly. A quiet “tch” escaped him, as if to admonish his own actions and lewd thoughts. This was seriously getting weird, but… he liked it too much to stop, didn’t he? His reflected gaze was guilty and wanting, but he managed to turn his back on it altogether before sitting himself back down at his desk. The seat whined under his bulk. Shit, he couldn’t focus: not with the ache throbbing between his chubby thighs.

He had to bury his hand under the layer of his belly filling his lap just to palm at himself, noting the strained button on the way down, as well as the tense seams. It just reminded him of when he’d snapped the button of his pants the night of the festival, or that of his uniform’s shirt, or even when he’d split the stitches of his pant leg in the same span of a single minute. More than that, he remembered how damn  _ satisfying _ it had felt, in a shamefully exciting kind of way.

Fuck it, he decided; he ached too much to focus, his head too foggy with hormones. He could allow himself a few moments to clear his head and give himself a break. 


	16. A Step Too Close

It was Meron’s idea to sift through his old clothes before heading out to a thrift store to do some shopping. The plan was to refill his wardrobe with stuff that actually fit him, but it was probably a good idea to kill two birds with one stone and donate whatever had gotten irredeemably small. It turned out that a good deal of it had, so much so that he didn’t even need to try most of it on. The few things that were on the borderline, he still saw value in keeping, not that he expected them to ever fit properly again. He couldn’t quite own up to the real motivation in keeping them though.

He already had half a box of jeans and shirts folded up by the time he started getting to the back of his closet, where a lot of shirts had hidden and gone long-forgotten. A good deal of his clothes had gone through at least one alteration on Meron’s behalf, but one glance was enough to tell him that these hadn’t. They were so small, he almost couldn’t believe they’d used to fit him.

After taking a particular button-up shirt off one of the hangers, he only needed to glance at it to know he had no hopes of fitting into it. Yet he nibbled his lip in contemplation, casting a glance or two at the mirror Meron had given him. It was just a test, he told himself. Something to better gauge how much he’d changed. How much he’d grown. There wasn’t anything weird about it. Without giving himself enough time to rethink his plan, he stripped off his current t-shirt, yanking it over his head by the back of the collar before stepping up to the mirror and giving the button-up in his hand one last glance over.

Even the sleeves felt tight, hugging dangerously around his chubby biceps. Honestly he was a bit surprised he got it on, but the fact just encouraged him to try the futile task of buttoning the shirt up. He started at the collar, just to try and work his way down to the hardest part of his task, but it was still readily apparent what the result would be. The first few buttons strained, the fabric stretching and creasing as it was forced to fit around his broad frame and over his doughy chest.

He still wasn’t deterred. In fact, he just felt spurred on even more, his heart thudding a bit and his stomach twisting with a familiar intrigue. Once he reached the heavily padded area of his midsection things got a bit more difficult; he had to pull a lot harder and suck in his gut just to get the button and its corresponding hole to even meet, let alone fasten. He grunted softly under his breath with the effort, heat pooling in his cheeks as he steadily worked his way down the shirt. Fuck. How had this ever fit him? How the hell had he been so small?

By the time he reached the bottom and looked up into the mirror, his throat had gone tight and dry, and he could barely swallow as he took it all in. The shirt was cartoonishly small, a wide gap forming between each button. It looked fit to burst at even the slightest movement, the hem not quite able to cover even half of his belly in its meager attempt to fit around his bulky shape. That didn’t dissuade his hands as they tried to tug fabric down over his bulging gut.

The stitches screamed and creaked, and rather than the pronounced  _ snap _ of a button that he’d expected, maybe even hoped for, he heard a sudden, telltale tearing sound. Miraculously, the fastenings had held strong, but the seam adjacent to them had split apart, pale flesh oozing its way out. Even his sleeves started to shred at their stitches. A shudder flitted from the base of his neck all the way down to the tip of his tail, his fingers fiddling with the whining fabric as he watched more stitches steadily stretch and rip apart.

Just as a shuddering sigh whispered past his lips, he was startled by the sudden sound of his door clicking open, his hands flailing in some weak attempt to conceal his unbecoming circumstances. “Rin, are you o-?” Meron’s head peeked around the door as she stepped in, only to stall suddenly and turn a light shade of pink, her jaw dropping incrementally at the sight of him bursting a tiny shirt open at the seams. “...Kay?”

His eyes were wide and filled with guilt, every inch of his skin feeling white-hot as his lips pursed tightly. He couldn’t think of a single thing to say, not that anything could’ve excused his current state. And his sweats weren’t exactly doing him any favors in the crotch department. “Uhh,” he choked out, maybe just to fill the awkward silence as her eyes roamed automatically. Not that he could blame her. “I guess this one doesn’t fit.”

She snapped her mouth shut, her fingers brushing through her fringe as she nodded, just trying desperately to act casual and not stare: the torn fabric, his spilling flesh, his cute, flushed face. And damn it. He was hard too. His hormones practically choked her, making her head feel hazy and her heart stutter rapidly in her chest. “I’d say not,” she chuckled weakly, her voice cracking and falling flat. “But you probably could’ve known that by looking at it. You haven’t worn a small in months.”

He gulped, feeling oddly… called out. She was right, obviously: by that point he’d graduated to a large, and even those felt pretty tight, and very exposing. Still, the fact that she’d said so as candidly as she did made his skin tingle with goosebumps. “Yeah,” he croaked, pausing to gnaw nervously at his lip. “Y-you can fix it, right? So we can still donate it.”

“Mhm,” she agreed, sounding strained as she turned her head politely away. She wasn’t even sure if it was more for his privacy or for her own sanity’s sake. Between the enticing view and the powerful sensation of his carnal urges, she was barely holding it together. “It’d be a shame to just throw it away. I can mend it as soon as you change.”

To her surprise he just nodded, his lips trembling as he started to clumsily fumble with the buttons. The strained stitches still made themselves known with each movement, and the quiet whispers of surrendering seams were all too noisy in the near silence. He dared a nervous glance up, noticing the visible shock on her face at seeing him undress; yeah, he’d had half a mind to ask her to look away or leave, but… it wasn’t like this could get any more embarrassing. 

“Don’t look at me like that,” he grumbled with a slight pinch of his brows, pouting towards the ground.

“Sorry,” she blurted out, watching him shrug off the tattered remains of the button-up. It was the first she’d seen him like this, so openly bare and borderline nude. As if she needed anything more to test her self control. “Y-you’re just… usually so shy.”

He wasn’t too sure how he felt about being called shy, so he just tossed the shirt to her without looking up and turned his back, grabbing the tee he’d been wearing beforehand off his bed. “Yeah, well… I think we’re past that by now. It’s not like you don’t already know.”

Against her better judgement, she quirked a brow curiously as she caught the wad of fabric and spoke up as it began to mend itself in her skilled hands. “Know… what?”

“How fat I’ve gotten,” he mumbled bluntly, unsure if he meant it negatively or not. He did like it, all the weight and padding. It felt good… but maybe it was getting out of hand. “You’re always gawkin’ at me anyway.” He knew her well enough to anticipate the coming apology, ready to cut it off as he yanked the hem of his t-shirt down and turned to face her again. “But I don’t mind it as much when you do. I kind of… like it when you look at me. It’s different than everyone else.”

The succubus stalled for a brief second, her expression thoughtful and eyes hooded as she added the repaired button-up to the box of clothes to be donated. Different? She supposed it made sense; she didn’t look mockingly at him, didn’t share in the smugness, disdain, or pity of his peers. But that made her curious (and worried) about how she  _ did _ look at him. Was it that obvious? 

“... You have gotten big,” she agreed meekly with a little nod, noticing him go slightly tense. “I don’t think it’s a bad thing though.”

It wasn’t, he thought. It was really fucking good, actually. But that was weird right…? Too weird to admit, especially to her. Then again, she was in his head whether she intended to be or not. She already knew. “It’s not supposed to be a  _ good thing _ either,” he resisted weakly in a half-hearted admission of guilt. Was he really owning up to it? His new ‘interest?' “You must think I’m pretty weird.”

He didn’t have time to react, not that he necessarily would’ve, as she closed the distance between them and looped her arms around him in a familiar, undaunted embrace. Her grip was relaxed, her hands resting lightly at the backs of his hips to loosely cup around his soft love handles. Even through his shirt her touch made his skin tingle with an excitement he couldn’t quite subdue. 

She tilted her head back to look up at him, smiling softly and shaking her head. “Trust me, this is hardly the strangest preference to have. It’s actually pretty common. If you’re happy and comfortable, then I don’t see a problem.” 

By that point he wasn’t so sure it was just a “preference.” There was more to it, but he wouldn’t be the one to say so. But… it was common? At first he didn’t really believe her, at least until he felt the vague, gentle way her hands squeezed around his love handles. They seemed so gingerly greedy too, flexing in and out of his extra flesh in a way that made him think they wanted to do a lot more, but weren't allowed to. 

His hands twitched nervously against her spine as he wrapped his arms carefully around her waist, and he’d almost forgotten the throb of his half-mast until the sudden closeness pressed it against her inner thigh and made him jolt with electric pleasure. Her lashes fluttered, her grip on his abundant body tightening, much to his surprise. She didn't try to move away either, and that gave him an ounce of courage. He barely managed to crack a weak, wry smile as his eyes met hers again. 

“Maybe,” he began, his voice almost husky as he spoke and acted on instinct. Every fiber of his being was telling him to continue, to press closer and hold tighter. To bury her in his body and claim her pretty, full lips between his and entwine their tongues. The urge was so strong too, stronger than he'd ever experienced. Shockingly enough, he actually believed that she might actually share those urges too. “I mean… you seem to like it, anyway. It’s like you're always feelin’ up on me.”

That made her jump away an inch or two, her hands retracting in the blink of an eye. Damn it. He’d caught on. Her face burned with shame, fingers tangling into her soft, pink fringe as she avoided his intense, damn-near sultry gaze. Or at least an attempt at sultry. “S-sorry,” she sputtered out, caving in on herself and cursing her weakness. “I just-... I mean. I-I wasn’t trying to-”

His teeth grit in frustration, an indignant flare of confusion striking his chest. “You don’t have to apologize all the time,” he told her firmly, already missing the feeling of her body against his. Why did she always spaz out like this? It didn’t make sense to him, and it was fraying his nerves more and more. “You’re always backing down like that, and I don’t get what it is you want. One minute you’re all over me, and then-...” His lips pursed, and before he could stop himself he was acting on impulse. 

He hoped to god he was right about this.

A few steps forward was all it took to have her back flush to the wall behind her, trapped softly between it and his squishy tummy. She gasped softly as the flesh pressed warmly, carefully around her, shivering with shameful glee as she watched his body mold and wobble with each shift of his weight. One of his hands braced against the surface by her head, the other grasping her shoulder carefully as he pushed into her with his gut. He choked on the groan that threatened to rise in his throat, his erection pushing between her thighs, and he ran his thumb comfortingly over her exposed collarbone.

What had possessed him to be so bold, he couldn’t be sure, and now he could hardly believe what he was doing. But he’d come this far. And she felt so good. “I wanna know what  _ you _ want,” he told her plainly, his voice soft and strained, barely a whisper that shook and purred with barely-suppressed arousal. “Because you already know what I want, and that’s…  _ really _ unfair.”

Her eyes were as wide as saucers, pupils dilated roundly and pink dying her whole face as she glanced up and down between his hazy countenance and his rotund shape pinning her in place. Big and soft and warm, comfortable and equally exciting. She was holding her breath, just trying not to melt underneath him or bury herself further into his doughy mass. Trying not to touch or grab, pull and claw at him in a heated passion the way she desperately wanted to. 

It hurt how badly she wanted to. 

“I-... I can’t,” she finally whined breathlessly, squirming between him and the wall as she felt his want rub subtly between her legs, easily notable through her leggings. Every muscle screamed and burned under the effort not to give into him. Not to kiss him. It would’ve been too easy. It would’ve been wrong. “I can’t have what I want. So please… p-please stop.”

That didn’t answer anything. Really, it just left him with more questions. Had he guessed wrong? But that expression, her little squirms and whimpering sounds… it reminded him too much of when they’d laid in bed together that time, their tails entwined and the lust between them turning the air thick and heavy. It reminded him of when she’d been trapped under his weight against the floor, flushed and barely breathing. He wanted desperately to know what it was she “couldn’t have,” but… she’d asked him to stop. So he did. He took a tiny step back, his hands dropping limply to his sides.

At least she didn’t bolt. She stayed backed against the wall for a moment, releasing the breath she’d been holding and staring down at the floor. “I’m sorry, Rin,” she murmured, trailing off as if she’d had something else to add, but thought better of it.

He shook his head, forcing a cracked grin just for the sake of reassuring her. Despite the smile, his chest ached as he retreated and sat himself down on his bed. She knew better too. His hand ran roughly through his hair, then down the back of his head to massage at his neck. “Nothin’ to be sorry about,” he told her simply, his teeth grinding against his will as he reigned it all in. “I dunno what I was thinkin’. My bad.”

She neither agreed with nor denied his sentiments, her expression pinching pensively as she gripped the front of her loose blouse. The two agreed to postpone their trip out for another day on the grounds that it was getting late; it was still light outside. Even though he’d done that, acted so forcefully and been so forward, she still wished him a good night before padding carefully to the door and excusing herself for the evening. As he flopped backwards against the mattress, he wondered if he could call in a favor from Mephisto and have him reverse time to keep that disaster from ever happening.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A little bit of mild angst/awkward pining to send us off for now. Hope you enjoyed, and thanks for reading!


	17. Melting

With all the weirdness happening between him and Meron, the last thing Rin wanted to hear about was Valentine’s Day. He really had a way of picking the worst time possible to make a fool of himself, huh? Almost a week had passed since his impulsive advance, and neither one of them had worked up the courage to talk about it since. In fact, she seemed happy to pretend it never happened, so he tried to be as normal as possible too. Whatever constituted as “normal,” anyway.

It was almost worse, her ability to act as though everything was the same. What would he have preferred though? For her to freak out and never speak to him again? He wasn’t even sure if he was upset because she didn’t share his feelings, or because he was still so uncertain about hers in the first place. Based on everything that had happened between them, he’d felt so sure about it. About her.  _ I can’t have what I want. _ How was he supposed to interpret that?

He wished he could just forget about it, or better yet, erase that moment from history altogether. He wished she would talk to him for real. Instead they went about their usual business: meals, classes, training, studying and the like. She'd even shown interest and initiative in his Exorcist classes, participating in more and more Cram School activities as if she was a student herself. On the one hand it was nice to see her fitting in more, but on the other he was afraid she really would become more like a familiar to him.

And of course she still helped him with his school work, still fixed him snacks and kept him company until he fell asleep. The primary difference was that she didn’t lay with him like she had before, not that he could blame her; it was a lot harder to pretend things were just platonic now. He felt lucky enough that she was still willing to sit on the edge of his bed, sometimes even deigning to run her fingers up and down his back or play with his hair. It was nice, but it wasn’t the same.

Whether he knew it or not, Meron was waging an inner war of her own, one she thought it best for him not to concern himself with. Even though she could feel his anxiety on the matter, she tried to comfort him by being the same person she’d been before their odd exchange. Nothing seemed to work though. The tension in his aura didn’t waver, and if anything it only seemed to get worse as Valentine’s Day approached. She could understand why.

Talk of chocolates and crushes and dates was circulating quickly, and every mention of the holiday seemed to dampen his mood a fraction more. She tried not to notice, and when that failed it was all she could do to pretend she didn’t know any better. Especially not when she had a surprise in mind. 

Shiemi had been gushing all week about how excited she was to make chocolates for all her friends at the Cram School, and Meron had finally worked up the courage to ask for her advice one day in the locker room.

“I want to surprise Rin on Valentine’s Day,” she forced out, avoiding the blonde’s eyes as she knew exactly what it sounded like. “To thank him. You know, for… for all he’s done for me.”

Meron figured Shiemi had some idea that there was more to it than that, but if so she didn’t mention it. Instead she just beamed brightly, clasping her hands around the succubus’. “Are you going to make him chocolate? He’d love that!” 

Meron fidgeted nervously, her tail a cautious coil around her thigh. “That-… yeah. It was my plan, but I don’t really know how to do it. I was hoping you could write down some instructions for me, or some kind of recipe. I’ve never done this sort of thing before.”

To her surprise, Kamiki piped up from the other side of the locker room as she tugged her gym shirt on. “Can’t you just summon anything you want? I’d think something trivial like that would be easy, so why waste the time making it by hand? It seems stupid to me.”

Warmth pricked at her cheeks, dying the speckled bridge of her nose pink. “I-... If I’m going to do it, I want to do it the right way. I think it’d mean more.”

That just made Shiemi’s grin brighten even more, her eyes practically sparkling. “That’s really sweet of you! I’d love to help. It’ll make Rin really happy if you made something for him like that.” Meron’s heart twinged when the blonde’s smile faltered a bit, turning just slightly somber. “I think something’s been bothering him lately, so it’ll be nice to see him cheer up.”

The succubus swallowed thickly and offered a hesitant nod. “Yeah… I think so too.”

As promised, Shiemi made a list of ingredients and cooking directions for Meron and slipped it secretly to her by the end of classes that day. It made Meron eager to get to work and begin practicing with what little time she had left. She didn’t have many opportunities to use the kitchen in private, since she didn’t want him catching on before she was ready. Her best bet was doing so at night, when he and Yukio were sleeping.

After making sure Rin fell asleep, she crept down to the kitchen to conjure her ingredients and start following Shiemi’s instructions. Her first few batches turned out poorly, but she could graduallysee her own improvement. The failures were whisked away in glittering smoke, and the night before the official holiday marked her first near-perfect success. By sunrise it was chilled, ready to be extracted from its molds, and stored in a little white box tied with a red ribbon.

Meron managed to hide all evidence of her efforts by the time the two brothers started getting ready for school, the box hidden at the back of the fridge until they got home. It was best to give it to him in private, eager as she was to present him with her work. She maintained a chipper mood throughout the day despite the way it dragged on, and despite Rin’s mildly sour disposition. He couldn’t help wondering what she was so perky about, but didn’t get to consider it for very long without risking getting lost in class. 

As much as he expected her inexplicable cheeriness to annoy him, it did the opposite. It actually put him a bit at ease compared to their recent, stiff interactions, as if things might actually go back to normal. _ Fat chance _ , he thought bitterly, the irony of the phrase not entirely lost on him. 

When they arrived home that evening Rin was quick to retreat to his room, leaving Meron in the foyer for the time being. “I’ll be doing homework if you need me,” he tossed flatly over his shoulder, stuffing his hands in his pants pockets and doing his best to smile. “I wouldn’t mind the company.”

Meron watched him go with a knot in her throat, swallowing it down before making a beeline to the kitchen to find her carefully hidden parcel. She didn’t think about Yukio strolling through the door behind her and watching her closely as always, following behind as she snatched the box up and spun on her heel to go deliver it. He hadn’t wasted any time in closing the distance between them, and she nearly smacked straight into the younger twin.

“What is that?” Yukio asked skeptically, raising his brow and adjusting his glasses on the bridge of his nose. 

“What is…?” Meron trailed off, knowing it was no use. “It’s-... it’s for Rin, if you must know,” she admitted with a sigh, her hands cupped around her package as if gently clutching a wounded bird. “For… for Valentine’s Day.”

Yukio pursed his lips in thought, his eyes scanning the box critically. “You made it yourself?” he asked, his tone stiff but remarkably patient. Meron had expected a cold reprimand for her flippant affections, but his aura seemed calm, if mildly pensive. “Without using your powers?”

She nodded, turning her gaze downwards to avoid his steady, analytical eyes. He didn’t need to know that she’d conjured the ingredients and supplies. “I thought it would be better that way…”

There was a short beat of silence between them before Yukio nodded, then turned his back to her. “Fine then… you should give them to him before they start to melt.”

Meron blinked in surprise, stunned by his uncharacteristic leniency. She watched him go, still stuck in place as she processed it all. Indistinct as his feelings were, she sensed no animosity from him. The idea that she was getting through to him, that he was beginning to trust her, made her smile with hope. Maybe she was doing something right after all.

Without wasting another moment, she rushed up the stairs and turned the corner to go to Rin’s room. Knocking once on the door and waiting for his invitation, she stepped inside, all the while hiding her gift behind her back. Her heart was stuttering and thumping beneath her ribcage, and at first she couldn’t find her words. “How’s the work coming?” she asked timidly, stepping closer to stand a foot or two behind him as he sat at his desk.

“Slow,” he mumbled, ruffling a frustrated hand through his fringe. “Having trouble focusing, and all these problems are so complicated.” 

She hummed her understanding, her throat strained by nerves. “I see,” she began, fidgeting with the box still hidden behind her back. Get on with it. Just do it. “Rin?”

He finally tore his gaze from his papers to look at her, and by the time he did so she was holding the box a mere inch or two from his face. His eyes blinked wildly, his face blank as he registered the offering. His eyes flickered up to hers, bright and earnest, before trailing back down to the little white box and its shiny red ribbon. “What…?”

“It’s for you,” she explained, clearing her throat before setting it on his desk and taking a nervous step back, as if expecting him to be upset. There was no sign of agitation though: just surprise, laced with confusion.

He pulled the box a bit closer, rubbing the bow thoughtfully between his fingers. Still staring at it, he wet his lips nervously before speaking. “Why? I thought…”

As he trailed off, she didn’t allow him to finish. Besides, she already knew what he was going to say:  _ I thought you didn’t feel that way. _ “I care about you,” she blurted out, pink highlighting the freckles smattered delicately across her nose. “More than anything. You’re so dear to me, and… and I wanted to show you that somehow. So… here. Shiemi told me how to make them.”

That prompted him to look up once again, still taken aback by the gesture. “Shiemi?” he asked, initially unsure of her full meaning. Then it clicked. “ _ Oh _ . You must’ve worked really hard on them then… considering how bad you are at cooking.”

His light chuckle eased the tension in her chest, and she attempted a meek smile. “I just… wanted to do something right for once.”

“Is this about…” He swallowed the lump forming in his throat as he remembered his failed advance, an embarrassed shade of pink warming his own cheeks. “...  _ That? _ ” Her silence said enough, and he sighed raggedly. “Meron… you didn’t do anything wrong. I’d hate for you to pretend if that wasn’t what you really wanted.”

“But I-” She cut herself off, knowing how unfair it was to speak what it was she was thinking. It  _ was _ what she wanted. “It’s just… complicated.”

That was an understatement. “It always is,” he chuckled under his breath, but nonetheless he felt lightened by the sweet gesture. “I dunno what’s going on or why you can’t… ‘ _ have what you want _ ,’ whatever that is. But I do know that havin' you around is more important to me than any’a that.”

Meron felt as if she might melt; how could he be so wonderful? It was as baffling as it was uplifting. There were no words for how she felt, and so she said nothing as she watched him open up his gift, a caring smile pulling at her lips. It faltered when he blinked down into the box, smirking good-humouredly. “What?”

“They’re all melted together,” he told her, repressing a snicker and reaching in to pull out a malformed clump of milk chocolate. “I guess you didn’t quite get it right, huh?”

Meron flushed hotly in dismay, but as his amused laughter bubbled up, she felt that ebb into a comfortable fondness. “Sorry,” she told him with a cautious giggle of her own, toying with a piece of her fringe as it framed her face. “I did my best… I hope it still tastes good.”

With that, he didn’t hesitate to pop the sweet amalgamation into his mouth, sucking any chocolate residue from his fingertips as he did so. Meron watched with equal parts expectation and intrigue, following his tongue as it laved between his digits, and his eyes fluttered contentedly closed. After hearing a soft, pleased hum rise in his throat and feeling satisfaction flow off him, she relaxed a bit. 

“It is good,” he agreed before reaching into the box for another piece. At first he paused, then held it out to her with a patient glance. “Have you tried it?”

Although she took it between her fingers, she didn’t place the chocolate blob on her tongue as he had. She held it for a moment, balanced between her fingers and coating them in a thin layer of milky sweetness. Then, biting her lip, she stepped closer to perch one knee on his lap,her other leg nestled between his. He stiffened, his eyes wide and cheeks a rosy hue as she pressed the confection to his lips.

As much as he wanted to question these actions, the succubus behaving as confusingly as ever, he couldn’t find the willpower to do so. Feeling her so close, her bust flush with his own soft chest, was too enticing. He parted his lips, his eyelids drooping lazily as he accepted her offering into his mouth, along with her slim, pretty fingertips. The chocolate melted on his tongue as he cleaned any remaining residue off her porcelain skin; he felt her shiver against him and shift closer to straddle his thigh, a sweet hitch of her breath catching his attention.

Her fingers retreated from his mouth, stroking amorously along his bottom lip and down his jawline. “I’m sorry,” she murmured, seeming in a bit of a daze herself, especially as Rin’s fingers curled at the bottom of her spine, just above the plush curve of her backside and right at the base of her tail to send another electric shiver through her. “This is probably-...”

“It’s okay,” he told her, tugging her a bit closer to his body, to his bulging, pliant belly, as if afraid she might try to run away from him again. “I don’t really get it, but… I like this.  _ A lot _ .”

She nodded, her fingers tracing the blurred line of his chubby chin before stroking down his chest to softly grip the roll of flesh lining his ribcage. “I-... I do too,” she told him, the words escaping her before she could stop them. Their gazes met, lingering for a moment before she pulled hers away and leaned her forehead against his broad shoulder to nuzzle close and hide herself from his eyes. “I’m sorry.”

“I wish you’d quit apologizin’,” he chuckled meekly, the hand not dangerously close to her backside tentatively rubbing up and down her spine in some attempt to comfort or reassure her. “As long as you’re as happy as I am, I-... I don’t really care. We can just enjoy this, can’t we?”

Meron’s throat tightened as she buried her face his his shirt, her grip on his flesh loosening to hug around him as best she could reach. “You’re really happy like this?” she asked vaguely, her voice barely audible as it was muffled against him. 

“‘Course I am,” he chuckled reassuringly, nosing into her silken crown of hair; certain that she wouldn’t feel it, he dared a kiss at the base of one of her gently curved horns. She did feel it though, another tender spot just like her tail. She barely managed to repress a giddy shudder and a little, mewling hum. “I’ve got you takin’ care of me, don’t I?”

At first she hesitated, but finally nodded as she curled tighter against him, soaking in his warmth and his comforting contentment. “Then I’m happy too,” she told him, finally pulling away so she could meet his level gaze again. In a daring moment, throwing her caution to the wind, she closed the space between them to kiss his cute, flushed, round cheek. There was no harm in that, she supposed. “I just wish I could do more.”

She left her meaning up to his interpretation. After all, it meant so many things: she wanted to do more for him, more for herself. There was so much she wanted. And it really was  _ her _ want too, which just made it even more daunting. Before the desire to mold her lips into his became too strong to deny, she angled her body slightly to reach into the box again and pluck a misshapen chocolate from inside.

“You should finish these,” she suggested, her pale, seafoam eyes locking with his deep blues. Then she offered a blithe, quiet laugh. “Before they melt any more.”

He seemed all too fine with that, opening his mouth again to let her feed him further. It was so intimate, and equally insinuative. Oddly erotic, as much as he tried to keep those thoughts at bay. At the back of his mind he couldn’t help consider the sugary, fatty calories of each morsel; the fact that she’d made them herself (truly made them) and was so eagerly feeding them to him just made it better. Briefly he remembered something Shima had said a couple months ago, when his friend had first met Meron.

_ She must be that admirer Koneko guessed at, right? The one who’s been fattening you up? _

The notion made his stomach twist and his thighs squeeze together with an odd anticipation. He liked that idea, didn’t he? The suggestion that she was ‘fattening him up.’ Helping and encouraging him to grow bigger and softer. Once again he felt certain that she must like it of her own volition, at least to some degree, and that just made him more content on the matter. 

Meron was content too, if even for a moment; just this once she allowed herself to indulge in his own fantasies, his own lustful desires. It was her nature, as much as she tried to deny it. “You like being spoiled,” she purred against his neck, noting his rapid pulse, the bob of his adam’s apple, and a repressed little groan as she slid her saliva-slicked fingertips along his trembling lips. “It’s so cute… a pampered little Prince.”

He knew he should’ve been bothered by that endearment; he didn’t really want to be anyone’s “prince,” but she just seemed so… earnest. So willing and downright enamored. And besides, she was probably right. No, she was absolutely right. He’d never been “spoiled” or “pampered” in his life, and her affection was so sweetly foreign to him that he couldn’t resist. So maybe he could tolerate being her prince. Hers alone. There was one thing he had to contradict though.

“I haven’t been ‘little’ in a while,” he told her softly, his voice huskier than he’d intended. Or maybe he was just so breathless, winded and intoxicated by all the sensations assaulting his body. He managed a sideways smirk, revealing a sly fang. “Thanks to you.”

The startled, doe-like look in her eyes complemented the hot flush dying her cheeks too perfectly. “I’m-”

“I swear to god, if you apologize one more time, I’m gonna lose it,” he cut in, exasperated but good-natured nonetheless. “I don’t wanna hear another ‘I’m sorry’ out’a you ever again. Consider that my one order as your…” He hesitated, testing the word in his head before letting it roll off his tongue. “As your  _ Prince _ .”

Hearing him address himself as such was almost enough to turn her into a limp puddle right then and there. Silently she could only nod, eyelids drooping and full lips parting as if in some weak attempt to reply. Instead she just held another lumpy piece of half-melted chocolate to his lips, accidentally leaving a milky-sweet smudge at the corner of his mouth. It took her last shred of willpower not to lick it off herself, and instead she watched happily as he did the honors.

“You’re so perfect,” she uttered without a second thought, her brows pinching and her listful statement barely audible. “I’m so lucky to have you.” 

A bewildered look briefly flashed across his face.  _ Have him? _ The implication that he was  _ hers _ made his stomach flutter and his chest pound a little harder. But he didn’t question it, didn’t dare bring it up and risk her taking it back. Not when she seemed hardly aware she’d said it at all. Didn’t that fact just make her words even more earnest? It was just so blissful, so automatic that it couldn’t possibly be disingenuous. 

Yeah. She did have him. He  _ was _ hers. And he didn’t even care in what way, didn’t care about the details. Not when she made him feel so good.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I can't bear too much tension and drama so it got resolved pretty quickly. Hope you enjoyed a bit of insinuative, horny fluff!


	18. Spring Fever

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's been a hot minute, but we're back. I've just been preoccupied with too much stuff. TvT
> 
> So here's a long chapter to make up for the wait, I guess!

Rin didn’t need to be an empath like Meron to know she was nervous. He couldn’t particularly blame her either as the two sat nestled close together on the train. She’d accompanied him and his classmates on small-time missions before, but never outside of True Cross Town. According to Mephisto, this was a show of “trust” involving her status as a protected demon, and as his supposed “familiar.” As far as she knew, it was some kind of test; so what would happen if she failed?

He did his best to put her mind at ease, placing a tentative hand on her knee and giving it a gentle squeeze. She smiled gratefully as she entwined her fingers into his. It had been a long trip, having set out early that morning, but it was almost over. The two demons and the rest of his Cram School class were headed out to a chilly mountain range to investigate some kind of disturbance. Meron was told that she was there strictly to observe, and not to interfere; fine by her. That left less room for error on her part.

Yukio had informed them that it was most likely a Yuki-Onna: an ice spirit and kin of Egyn, the Demon King of water. Their target had reportedly been attacking those travelling near an inn at the foot of the mountain, causing quite the issue for the proprietors and those passing through the region. Their job was to investigate, find, and exorcise the demon responsible. It seemed like a fairly basic mission, over all.

"Yuki-Onna are notorious for their ability to inflict a unique form of hypothermia," Yukio briefed at the start of the trip. "As such, you're all to be very cautious. Exorcising the demon shouldn't be very difficult in and of itself, but it's still dangerous."

The students all mumbled their mutual understanding as they waited at the near-abandoned station. It wasn't even dawn yet, and Rin was practically nodding off on his feet. Once they’d boarded the train and it began its long trek, he quickly passed out, snoring against Meron's shoulder as she stroked his forearm in her lap and watched the scenery pass them by. Cityscapes gradually gave way to frosted fields and trees, and then to the more dense forests surrounding the mountain base. He woke up about an hour later, only to find her still gazing blankly out the window and worrying at her lip with her fangs.

"It'll be fine," he assured her, running his thumb over her petite knuckles as she clasped his hand. "You're thinkin' too much."

By the time they arrived at the inn, the sun was already setting. The plan was to stay the night to eat and rest, then go hunting for the demon the next morning. More likely than not, the Yuki-Onna would come to them once they were out in the open, given its aggressive behavior. They’d have to be prepared for an ambush.

For the time being though, their party was allowed to relax and enjoy their brief stay. They were led to their rooms, the seven boys split between two and the girls sharing one of their own. While Meron held no animosity towards Shiemi or Izumo, she didn’t like the idea of being cramped in a room with them all night without Rin’s support or companionship. Or maybe she just didn’t like the idea of being separated from him at all, even if he was only a couple doors down. After all, they were so far from home; was this part of her test too?

Clearly there’d be no exceptions though, despite her unique circumstances as a demon under Yukio and Rin’s watch. Apparently the notion of co-ed rooms was more scandalous than that of an unsupervised succubus. Unsupervised save for the other two girls, anyway. Meron followed her classmates into their room, letting down the guise of her coat, sweater, and jeans to put on the customary yukata each of them had been provided. Then they were all called to the dining room for a modest, simple supper. 

Soon night began to fall, and their party had retreated to their rooms to lay down and sleep for the night. Rin was one of the few left awake, finding himself unsettled by Meron’s absence. He knew he could’ve slept more soundly if she was there with him; he also knew she wouldn’t sleep at all by herself. Just as he began to doze, he felt the hard prod of fingers and knuckles into his doughy waist, making him squirm and roll from his side onto his back. He sat up quickly, glaring indignant daggers at Shima in the dim lighting.

“Dude, what the hell?” he hissed, unwilling to wake the others. “I’m tryna sleep.”

“I’ve got a better idea,” Shima retorted with a sly smirk. “There's a nice hot spring outside, and the teach is konked out. I say we take advantage and all go bathing together.”

Rin frowned, raising a brow. “We can do that any time,” he dismissed dully, fully prepared to roll back over and try to regain his sleep.

“Not with the  _ girls _ .”

Despite himself, that caught Rin’s wary attention. He met Shima’s gaze skeptically, a warm flush starting to overtake his cheeks. “What’re you on about?”

The fact that Rin didn’t immediately deny him assured Shima that he’d already won. His curiosity was piqued, at the very least. “I mean that we might never get a chance like this again. Sharing a nice hot bath with some beautiful women. Don’t tell me you aren’t tempted by the thought of seeing Meron-”

“ _ I get it _ ,” Rin flustered with a quiet heat in his voice, slapping his hand over Shima’s mouth before he could finish his sentence. “You don’t have to spell it out for me…”

“Apparently I do,” Shima chuckled good naturedly after shoving Rin's hand away, giving the halfling's belly another playful jab that had him flailing to smack his hand away. “Now c’mon, help me get Bon and Koneko up. The more the merrier.” Shima hopped up off the floor to go and sneak into the next room and do his part.

At least he’d taken on the much harder task of convincing Suguro, not that Rin expected either of them (or any of the girls, for that matter) to join in on their plans. He huffed, casting a careful glance over to his sleeping twin. The younger brother rested so seldom that when he finally did, he was well passed out until morning. That did little to calm Rin’s nerves though.

In the end Rin failed to get Konekomaru to agree. It didn't come as much of a surprise, the smaller boy unwilling to cause any mischief. With an indifferent shrug, Rin left him be. When he exited their room as quietly as he could, he was surprised to find both Shima and Suguro waiting for him just down the hall. “I can’t believe you’re comin’ along,” he chuckled unsurely, rubbing the back of his neck. “You’re usually such a stick in the mud.”

“I’m only going to make sure you two don’t do anything stupid,” Suguro dismissed with an annoyed click of his teeth. “It’s not like I can stop you, so I might as well be there to supervise.”

“Sure, sure,” Shima goaded with a coy little nudge to his childhood friend’s ribs. “C’mon, you’re a man too, aren’t ya? I don’t believe for one second that you aren’t even a little bit tempted by a succubus’ rack.”

All that did was earn him a harsh smack to the back of his head.

Rin was starting to think this might not be such a good idea after all, and he'd already been skeptical to begin with. Of course  _ he _ was tempted, and wanted nothing more than to get an eyeful of Meron’s bare curves, guilty as the notion made him feel. But Bon and Shima getting the same privilege? He wasn’t so keen on that, but there was no way he’d admit as much.

He kept his objections at bay as Shima led the way to the girls’ room. He didn’t even get the chance to knock on their door as it slid open, startling the pink-haired boy enough that he almost tripped backwards; honestly, Rin should’ve expected as much from the empath. There was no way Shima's lecherousness would escape her senses. And, he supposed, his own. She clasped the collar of her yukata to keep it folded modestly over her chest, the other hand braced against the door as she peered up at the three of them.

“This is a bad idea,” she cautioned before any of them even had a chance to say anything. “Yukio would be furious.”

“That’s nothing new,” Shima butted in, not even bothering to question her sixth sense and taking his chance to speak with vigor. “It’ll be fun, and I think we all deserve a little time to unwind.”

"This isn't a pleasure trip," Suguro interjected, and probably not for the first time. "You really ought to take this more seriously."

“He's right," she agreed with a nod, much to Shima's dismay. 

"I thought you were supposed to  _ encourage _ pleasure," he argued pitifully with a pout. "That's what being a temptress means, isn't it?"

Meron flushed hotly, her brows furrowing indignantly. "I've sworn off temptressing," she retorted flatly, crossing her arms. "Besides, I'm not about to be seen naked by you…  _ any _ of you.” She barely managed to correct herself, her gaze flicking awkwardly to Rin before settling back on Shima. “I’m certain Kamiki and Shiemi would feel the same.”

“That’s no problem,” Shima insisted without missing a beat; of course he’d thought of that already, always overly prepared when it came to mischief. No detail escaped him. “You can just whip us up some bathing suits with your succubus magic, right? Easy peasy!”

She nibbled her lip carefully in consideration; he was right of course, but she still had her reservations. Would this really be okay? It was just as Suguro had said, after all: they weren’t there on vacation. This was a mission. On top of that, this whole trip was supposed to be a “trust” exercise to make sure she wasn’t a threat or, at best, a nuisance. Wouldn’t it look bad for a succubus to enable such frivolity? Shima had already made it apparent what he thought of her kind, and she wasn't exactly keen on proving him right. And yet she cast a thoughtful glance over her shoulder at her sleeping roommates. 

A hot bath among friends did sound nice. Well, maybe not  _ her _ friends, but she wanted them to be. She wanted to feel like she belonged amongst them, for Rin's sake and for her own. This could be her chance to win their favor. With a pensive sigh, she made up her mind against her better judgement. “Only if they agree.”

“Sounds good to me,” Shima chirped, seeming more than happy with the compromise. After all, Meron wasn’t really the one he had designs on; he’d decided to leave that up to her fellow demon. “We’ll wait here while you persuade them.”

While Shiemi seemed a bit shy at first, she was surprisingly easy to coax into their plans. After all, she valued quality time with her friends as much as anyone, and considered it a good way for them to bond. Any of the boys' potential ulterior motives  didn't seem to occur to her. Izumo wasn't so naive, nor was she as easy to convince. After a few moments of debate, she begrudgingly agreed on the grounds that it would get Meron to stop pestering her. That wasn’t hard for Meron to see through though, the haughty girl having a subtle inkling of interest buried beneath her stubborn ego. 

Just as Shima said, it was no trouble for Mirai to conjure up a few bathing suits, and they all changed in their respective rooms before trudging out to the steaming bath behind the inn. Even with their insulated yukata thrown carelessly over their nearly bare bodies, the chilly mountain air made the students eager to rush to the hot spring to seek out its warmth. 

Shima was the first to discard his robe, hopping unceremoniously into the steaming, mineral rich water. Kamiki was next, barely stifling her incessant shivers, followed by ever-stoic Suguro. Nervous as she was, Shiemi couldn’t bare the cold any longer, and joined her friends with a grateful sigh as she sank beneath the surface.

“This was a good idea,” the blonde hummed, “and the swim suits you made us are so cute!”

Meron seemed to hesitate after thanking Shiemi for the compliment, eyeing Rin carefully as she let her own robe slide off her shoulders and draping it on the post nearby. He’d always known she had a nice figure just from their shared embraces, even if they were always demurely covered by loose layers of clothing. And while he couldn’t deny having imagined her curves and her feminine shape on many occasions, this was more than he’d been prepared for.

The pastel shades of her bathing suit complimented her smooth, milky skin well, her full hips accentuated by pretty bows on either side. The valleys of her waist formed a near-perfect hourglass, tapering down from her endowed bust perfectly cupped and supported by the sweetheart cut of her top. He even noticed the cute smattering of freckles on her shoulders. He couldn’t help but gawk, his eyes fluttering and face flushing from more than just the biting cold.

As if embarrassed by his prolonged stare, she folded her arms modestly around her midsection before turning her back and walking towards the inviting pool. The frigid air didn't bother her, but she couldn't bear the overflow of his physical desire. He couldn’t help his lingering gaze on the subtle sway of her body with each dainty step, tracing the lines of her plush thighs and curvaceous backside.

_ Quit being a creep _ , he chastised himself bluntly. He was almost as bad as Shima. Now that she’d found comfort in the hot spring, he was the last to join them. Then he suddenly felt overwhelmed by their mildly expectant gazes. Shit. Maybe he hadn’t thought this through very well, the idea of the three girls seeing him so exposed hitting him like a bag of bricks. There was no going back now. Feigning indifference, he avoided the eyes of his peers as he undid the belt to his yukata and tossed it dismissively aside, left only in his swim trunks as he stepped towards the natural spring.

The hot steam and bath water suddenly felt cold in comparison to the heat flaring in Meron’s body once she saw Rin’s bare, rounded shape, even if it wasn’t for the first time. While his robe had done little to disguise his chubby silhouette, this was even more alluring to see. The hefty overhang of his belly wobbled freely with his steps, his thick thighs brushing and rubbing together the whole way. The band of his swim trunks cut into his thick hips, the elastic more or less hidden under his muffin top and cute love handles. Then all too soon his luscious body was submerged, hidden by the cloudy water.

“Would’ja quit starin’ at me like that?” he snapped, drawing her more attentive gaze to his face; to her relief he wasn’t addressing her, at least not solely. His narrowed eyes were fixed on the pink-headed man beside him, only to scan across the faces of his other classmates before stopping at hers.

“Don’t be such a baby,” Shima laughed, playfully splashing Rin in the face to calm his nerves.

“I’d say he needs thicker skin,” Izumo huffed as she relaxed beside Shiemi, “but I don’t really think that’s much of an issue.”

Rin flushed hotly as her comment burned his ears, sinking lower into the water until it nearly reached his soft chin. “Maybe I’ll just go back inside then,” he scoffed, but made no move to heave himself out of the hot water. Maybe it was stubbornness, but maybe it was the chilly air that kept him in place. 

Meron’s calming presence was definitely a factor, the succubus sitting directly across from him and offering her gentle gaze. Out of sight, she brushed her foot over his beneath the water. It was simple and tender, just to ease his tension. “You shouldn't tease him," she pointed out smoothly, then hesitated slightly before continuing. "There’s nothing wrong with being… soft."

"I think it's cute," Shiemi agreed blithely, much to Rin's bafflement. Then he sank deeper with embarrassment when she elaborated. "Like a teddy bear!"

"You really aren't helping," he grumbled under his breath, his gaze sliding nervously sideways.

Shima shrugged, his sly grin never faltering. “They have a point though,” he agreed, visibly surprising everyone in the bath. Of course they all should've known another quip was on its way. “I mean, boobs are soft, and they’re pretty nice." All of a sudden he perked up, eyeing Rin mirthfully. "Hey, Okumura, can I touch your boobs?"

Suguro merely grunted dismally with a roll of his eyes, having long-since grown bored with the subject of Rin’s broadening shape. Contrarily, the others turned as red as could be, especially the demon in question. Even Kamiki seemed flustered by the mischievous request. Without waiting for an answer, Shima started to reach under the water for Rin’s plump pectorals, only for the demon to yelp in dismay and slap frantically at his arms. 

“I don’t have boobs!” Rin squawked, giving Shima a harsh shove that had him fumbling about half a foot backwards. “Fuck off!”

“Yeah, right. Yours are bigger than Kamiki’s,” Shima argued bluntly, barely containing an amused snigger at his own tasteless comment. When he noticed her scoff indignantly and reach up to cover her own modest chest, he held up his hands placatingly. “Sorry, but it’s true!”

“Go to hell,” Rin huffed, pouting heatedly and turning his head away.

“Ah, lighten up,” Shima eased, inching closer and making another, more subtle reach for the other man’s chest. Apparently he found his target, because Rin jolted with a strained yelp, scooting backwards as quick as a flash. “I’m not gonna get to touch any of the girls' boobs," he pleaded, "so yours are gonna have to do. Desperate times call for desperate measures!”

"Cut it out," Rin grunted as he crossed his arms protectively over his chest. He wouldn't put it past Shima to try again just for the sake of his own entertainment.

"Why're you getting so defensive?" Shima laughed casually, offering a pat to his shoulder as some meager consolation. "I bet your girlfriend is all about how 'soft' you've gotten. Right Meron?"

The succubus froze like a deer in headlights, her jaw dropping and her face going a vivid pink. She was clearly at a loss for words, and yet everyone was waiting curiously for her reply. Rin included. Her hand tore raggedly through her bangs as she stared down into the water. 

"No matter what I say, you'll believe what you want," she murmured, neither a denial nor an admission. "Most of you had made your minds up about me the second I walked into that classroom. So assume what you want." After a beat of hesitant silence, she raised her eyes carefully to meet Rin's.

"Innocent until proven guilty," Suguro remarked dryly, folding his hands behind his neck and sinking and inch or two deeper into the water. His comment surprised them all, the first he'd made since coming out to the spring. "Yeah, we were all kinda worried about it at first, but you're an odd one. You definitely don't act like any succubus I've heard of."

She wasn't even sure if that was a compliment or not, but she decided to take it as such. Without any idea of how to respond, she did her best to smile at him instead. He didn't return it, seemingly neutral as usual. Finally her attention was drawn away when Rin scooted closer, fitting himself on her empty side.

"Demons are all different," he stated, folding his hands behind his head and letting his eyes drift thoughtfully closed. "Just like people."

That sentiment made her heart flutter madly, her tail coiling automatically around his ankle in a subconscious show of affection. She slipped her hand over his thigh to grasp as much of the pliant flesh as she could. All of this was masked by the foggy surface of the spring. Despite the tender innocence of her touch, she felt Rin suppress a pleasant shiver as his legs squeezed together, and she grew brave enough to lean her head on his shoulder.

"Ugh, get a room," Kamiki huffed with a soft roll of her eyes. Still, she cast a few appraising glances in their direction.

"I think that's her way of saying you two are cute together," Shiemi giggled, smiling brightly at Meron when the succubus turned her head to object. 

Kamiki scoffed and stood up, immediately wracked by the cold. "Whatever," she dismissed, quick to climb out and seek the warmth of her yukata. "I'm going to bed before all this mushy stuff makes me sick."

"I hate to agree with her," Suguro began gruffly as he too made his way out of the hot spring. "But she's right. We should turn in before it gets too late. It'll be an early start tomorrow."

As disappointed as Shima was, he couldn't argue without giving away his more perverse motives. What a shame: all that effort with no payoff. "Ah, fine," he conceded, followed closely by Shiemi. Only Meron and Rin hesitated, sharing a brief glance. It was enough to make the others turn their expectant attention their way. "Let's leave the love birds," he added with a taunting chuckle. "Give 'em some privacy."

Rin was visibly indignant towards the insinuation, but the others said their goodnights and escaped to the inn before he could manage a proper objection. Besides, he admitted, Shima wasn't entirely off base. Maybe he did want some  time alone with her after spending the whole day under the careful watch of his peers, namely his brother. So he didn't move a muscle; instead he stayed close to her, cradling her against his soft, bulky side with one arm.

"You don't mind them sayin' stuff like that?" he asked after a brief moment of comfortable silence. He fidgeted a bit, his skin practically itching with nervous curiosity. "You didn't argue much... I was kinda surprised."

She nuzzled close to his chest, squeezing his thigh under her small palm and slim fingers. "A month ago I would've," she admitted, "because a month ago they would've said those things with spite or suspicion. I didn't sense any of that this time, and it-... it makes me happy to know that they trust me with you."

"Huh," he replied, thoughtful and quiet. "You weren't kidding when you said succubus’ get a bad rep. S'that why you…"

Meron knew what he wanted to ask. She just couldn't decide whether she wanted him to or not, let alone how to answer. In the end she couldn't bear his anxiety on the matter, and coaxed the question out of him. "Why I…? What?"

He swallowed thickly, his fingers curling against her arm. His hold was firm without being forceful, strong without being harsh. It felt both protective, and as if he was terrified she'd leave. "Why you can't… 'have what you want.' That's what you said, right?"

Her fingers toyed with her hair, pressing her cheek into his soft chest. "Partially," she told him, almost too quietly to be audible. "It's… dangerous. If they decide I'm a threat to you or anyone else-"

"They'll exorcise you," he finished, a growl edging its way into his throat as his arm tightened gently around her. He hated that. Hated that she even had to think about it. "It's not fair." She gave no opinion on the matter, just stayed snuggled close. Once again his curiosity got the best of him. "So… what else? You said that was only part of it."

That made her chest ache, her throat all but strangling itself as she struggled to breathe. "I-... I shouldn't. I  _ can't _ ." Can't, or won't? She wasn't sure if that objection was entirely hers, or Rin's unspoken consciousness. He deserved to know. He deserved so much more than that; more than she could give him. "I don't want to be what they think I am. Most of all, I don't want to hurt you."

She squeaked in surprise when he used his inhuman strength and her small size to his advantage, sweeping her up to balance her in his lap. In a shocking moment of boldness, he cupped her chin and cheek in his broad palm, forcing her to meet his eyes. "That's stupid," he told her bluntly, his thumb stroking over the freckles dotting her cheekbone. "I'm not sure how you could ever hurt me. And fuck what they think:  _ I _ know you're more than that, so… who cares?"

"It's just not that simple." She raised her hand to hold his, leaning into it and kissing his wrist. The lids of her eyes drooped solemnly. "I wish it was."

He nodded, nibbling his lip. "So… hypocritically speaking-"

Meron managed a broken chuckle. "Hypothetically."

"Whatever," he groaned impatiently, pulling her closer so that she molded into his soft bulk, her breasts pressing and squishing tantalizingly against him. "Hypo-  _ nevermind _ . If you  _ could _ have what you wanted… what'd it be?"

_ You _ , she thought ruefully, her fingers curling and pressing experimentally into his doughy chest.  _ You're all I want.  _ But she couldn't say that, could she? "I… want to make you happy." It wasn’t a lie, at least.

She could sense that he saw through it nonetheless. "But  _ you  _ should be happy too. That's what  _ I _ want." 

His fangs caught his lip, nervous and uncertain, but forcing himself to act while he could. Before she ran away again. His hands gingerly slipped down from her shoulder blades to trace the slope of her spine and rest just above her backside, almost as if to ask permission. Her hooded eyes and parted lips seemed to be enough for him to gain the confidence to take careful handfuls of her ass between his fingers. 

Fuck, she felt good. He couldn’t help but stutter as he finished speaking. "Th-that and… other things. But you already knew that, huh?"

She couldn't help but return his shy smile. "You're not very good at this," she remarked, his bold affection too infectious to ignore. He flushed hotly, and started to move his hands away; she stopped them, desperate for his touch as she grasped his wrists and held them in place. "It's okay. You're still learning."

He glanced away, hesitant but unwilling to back down now. "So… why don't you teach me?"

It was an offer she couldn't refuse, even if she’d wanted to. And, frankly, she didn't. Despite everything, she couldn't help leaning in close to barely ghost her lips over his chubby jaw, relishing the way he gasped and shivered from that alone. "I can try," she murmured, gradually making her way down his chest. He was tense with anticipation, his heart pounding and his breath frozen in his throat; it was adorable. "Stop me if it's too much," she told him, looking up to meet his eyes now that she was level with his breast, her chin barely touching the water's surface.

His bright blues were wide, his lips parted without forming words. Instead he just nodded, the angle accentuating his pretty double chin and round, pink cheeks. She smiled adoringly as she poked her tongue out to circle it around his soft nipple. A sharp breath caught in his throat, his hips nearly bucking as a kind of knee-jerk reaction. She paused, just to give him time to process. His voice wavered, barely able to choke out a pitiful "don't stop."

She guiltily bit back a smile; she shouldn't enjoy this. But she did. She  _ loved _ it. "You're really sensitive," she hummed, cupping his tit in her hand for better access as she stroked her tongue more broadly over it. The moisture left behind combined with the chilly air, prompting the pink bud of nerves to perk to attention. "It's so precious…"

"Nnnh… don't tease me." He tried to grumble the words out gruffly, but it sounded too close to a whining plea. "You just-... f-feel good…"

He was stuttering and shuddering just from this? Meron couldn't help wondering what he'd be like if she actually… no. If she tried to imagine it, it would be too much for her to resist. "Keep it together," she soothed, barely resisting the urge to call him 'baby' or 'honey.' It would've tasted too sweet. "I've barely started."

This visibly embarrassed him. His brows pinched, his jaw setting as he dug his fingers into the backs of her thighs. He got his share of proud pleasure from the way her eyes fluttered, her hips stuttering against him. "You're kinda sensitive too, y'know."

She didn't respond, already sinking,  _ drowning _ , in his sea of desire. No, not his.  _ Theirs _ . Instead she gave his nipple one more flick of her skillful tongue before lapping it into her mouth to nibble and carefully suck on the excited bundle of nerves. Speaking of excited…

"You're hard," she commented blandly, barely able to feel the twitch of his erection against her inner thigh, all but hidden beneath the heavy fold of his belly.

He blinked owlishly at her, his lips trembling due to the accusation. Still, he knew there was no point denying it, nor in being modest. They were well past that now. "Of course I am," he mumbled grudgingly. "Please, just… k-keep going."

She was all too happy to oblige. Her hands slid beneath the water to find greedy handfuls of his flesh, gripping his love handles as they bulged over the waistband of his swim trunks. A hum of pleasure purred in her throat and vibrated against the flesh between her teeth. His shaky, breathy moan made her shiver as she held tighter and shifted her tail to coil around his calf. Her thighs hugged strongly against his gut as best they could, so small in comparison. 

"You're so big, Rin," she breathed once she released his nipple, rolling and shaking the pliant flesh filling both her hands. "You… really have gotten fat."

Although she'd hesitated, the way he groaned and pulled her tighter made it clear he didn't mind the remark. Yeah, it was embarrassing to hear, especially coming from her, but that almost made it better. Having her poke and tease him like that. He  _ had _ gotten fat, thanks to her. That was enough to send another insistent surge down to his hard-on. "Yeah," he agreed after a careful beat of silence, "but it… feels good."

She nodded, then gave his perked nipple another kiss before sitting up straight in his lap and meeting his eyes hazily. He did feel good. All of him: his body, his presence, his aura. She loved every bit of him, inside and out. That thought hit her just as he started to tug her in, less than and inch between their mouths.  _ She loved him. _ Her hand raised to press her fingertips to his lips, startling his drooping eyes awake. 

"I can't," she whispered, her regret palpable in her gaze and her voice. "I can't cross that line… for your sake."

He swallowed thickly, disappointed but trying his best to understand. In all honesty, he didn't, but he knew better than to argue. Whatever it was keeping her from "crossing that line," he trusted her enough to be assured it was a good reason. It must've been, considering how badly she wanted to continue. There was no doubt in his mind about that now. 

"Okay." Instead he leaned in, angling his head to brush his lips over her cheek. "I trust you."

She held him tightly, taking the chance while she had it. Then she slid off his lap, holding her hand out to help him to his feet and guide him out of the hot spring. 

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for making it this far! This is really stepping out of my comfort zone in a lot of ways, so I hope it's enjoyable. I wrote it for myself but was encouraged to share it, so... yeah. The next chapter will be a bit more exposition (sorry, haha), but after that it should get a bit more fun. Thank you kiddies; may your boys be big and your meals blessed! uwu


End file.
